Tom Ridge, the former US Homeland Security Secretary (2001-2003) reiterated the threat the Iranian regime poses to democracies and called for a coordinated strategy from the European Union (EU) in addressing the Iranian threat. In an article published in the National Interest on Sunday, February 3^rd, 2019, Ridge said:

“In January German authorities arrested an Afghan-German dual national for spying on behalf of the Iranian intelligence agency. The incident was far from the first, and only underscored the potential threat lurking behind each new revelation.”

#Germany Arrests German-Afghan Army Adviser For 'Spying For #Iran'
Germany on Tuesday detained a German-Afghan man on suspicion he was spying for Iran while working for the German army as a linguistic and cultural adviser. pic.twitter.com/kPSHsWIKlR

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 16, 2019

There has been a surge in Iranian state-sponsored terrorism and intelligence operations over the last 13 months. In June, in what surmounted to one of the most high-profile plots, an Iranian diplomat was arrested in connection with a plot to bomb the People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran’s (MEK’s) annual Grand Gathering event in Paris.

In March, two regime agents were arrested in Albania after targeting the Iranian opposition group once again. The agents had been monitoring the MEK’s compound outside the Albanian capital of Tirana with the intention of carrying out a terror attack during the Persian New Year celebrations.

Targeting the heart of the Iranian opposition

The MEK has always been the target of the regime’s ire but this has surged since the nationwide protests that broke out in Iran in January 2018. The protests quickly spread to more than 140 towns and cities in all 31 of Iran’s provinces.

The regime holds the MEK, a pro-democracy group, responsible. The MEK was instrumental in the protest’s organisation and communicated the plans with pro-democracy elements across Iran.

The MEK’s effectiveness and its central role in the Iranian opposition movement have made it a target for regime terror attacks. In addition to the Paris and Albania attacks, there have been assassination attempts, and murders carried out against MEK members.

A slow political response

Despite the Iranian regime’s numerous plots to kill and main MEK officials on European soil, the political backlash has been muted. France and Albania both expelled diplomats in the wake of the foiled plots, however, the EU has been reluctant to follow the US in adopting sanctions against the regime, rights Tom Ridge in his article.

The EU announced last month that it would introduce new sanctions targeting a branch of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS), but critics “do not believe they go nearly far enough,” Ridges writes.

“We know for a fact that there are ongoing conspiracies to spy on European entities and set the stage for further terrorist attacks,” Ridges asserts, “making it absolutely imperative for the EU and broader international community to address the issue.”

“Any solution must confront the Islamic Republic on multiple fronts,” he continued. The regime is forging closer bonds with extremist groups like the Taliban, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen. If it is sharing the information it has collected through spies in Europe and the US with these groups, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Desperate measures at home and abroad

In addition to the regime’s violent and aggressive activities abroad, it is intensifying its repressive and bloody policies at home.

Following nationwide protests, the regime has launched a crackdown against the political opposition within Iran. The regime has arrested thousands of protestors and executed political prisoners, but the protest movement shows no sign of losing its momentum.

Ridges argues that a coordinated strategy from the international community that attempts to modify the regime’s behavior both at home and abroad is the best way to reduce conflict and increase global stability.

When world leaders meet on February 13^th and 14^th in Warsaw, Ridges argues, they have the opportunity to construct a coordinated response to Iranian aggression. “The Warsaw summit could go a long way towards developing a coordinated strategy to contain Iran,” he says, “but no strategy would be complete unless it also reaches out to, and coordinates with, Iran’s organized domestic opposition;” the MEK.

Ridges concludes that the EU, “must take steps to underscore the existing regime’s illegitimacy. There is no better way to do that than standing behind the regime’s most active domestic opponents.”

Staff Writer

 

 

On Friday, Seyed Mohammad Saeedi, the mullahs’ regime’s Friday prayer leader in Qom, central Iran, visited Mashhad, northeast Iran, to deliver remarks before the official Friday sermon. His words illustrated the regime’s fear of the MEK and acknowledged outright that the mullahs see the MEK as an existential threat.

“They [the MEK] want to get rid of us.”

Saeedi said, “The state’s war against the [Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)] and the global front of our enemies is an existential battle. And they want to get rid of us.”

Friday prayer leaders are high-ranking insiders within the regime and act as the mouthpiece of regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in their weekly sermons, which are delivered in every city in Iran.

Regime Leadership Express Concerns Over the Rising Popularity of the MEK on Social Media

Saeedi went on to discuss the MEK’s vast support and influence, saying, “The enemy’s front is vast. It is not limited to the borders, such as the era of the Sacred Defense (referring to the Iran-Iraq war back in the 1980s)… This is one of the enemy’s fronts. The enemy is attempting to infiltrate through all fronts, all channels. They are everywhere, especially through new technology through devices and tools that they have, they have infiltrated into our homes, the markets, the universities, the religious centers, in cyberspace, inside the country and abroad. This enemy has spread everywhere.”

He continued, “The message of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the U.S. and all the vast arrogant front and the [PMOI/MEK], and all their agents who are fighting against… What does it mean when I say our war against the enemy is over our very existence? It means that our enemies want to overthrow us. The nuclear, missiles, human rights, our substantial advances, the issue of our presence across the region and everything else are all pretexts.”

“They [the FATF] want to disarm us.”

Saeedi also made comments about the Iranian regime’s reluctant decision to attempt to comply with the conventions of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a move he considers to be a poor choice.

“The FATF issue that some officials aren’t letting go,” he said. “I don’t know much but I do have a few things to say regarding this subject.”

 

Saeedi explained some of his issues with the FATF. “One issue is that today we are involved in an economic war,” he said. “In war, the issue of camouflage is highly important in the front lines. Those who don’t abide by this principle and it is made known when they intend to attack, they are already defeated. They want to disarm us; they want to accuse us through a law that we will have signed ourselves. [Khamenei] considers this economic war more important than military warfare. He said our war is an economic war. Cannons, bullets, and rifles are not used in this war. However, the tools are far more dangerous than cannons and tanks. This is very sensitive. We all know the world has launched an economic war against us. In an economic war, they want us to sanction ourselves and destroy us.”

Passing the Blame

I reiterate that the ultimate solution for getting rid of the mullahs’ theocracy, is regime change at the hands of the Iranian people and Resistance.#Iran#FreeIran pic.twitter.com/ysp2nTMUiQ

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 22, 2019

Saeedi would like to place the blame for the regime’s economic and social instability on the MEK and the international community. As a mouthpiece for the regime, his remarks are telling. No consequence will ever be enough for the regime to take responsibility for its actions. The mullahs will also pass the blame to someone else and refuse to take any actions to change the ongoing crises within Iran. The current regime is unwilling to change. Reform is impossible. Regime change is the only answer.

Staff Writer

As a plague of poverty sweeps across Iran, all but wiping out the middle class in its wake, the Iranian regime continues to try and blame the international community for Iran’s economic woes.

Years of economic mismanagement and corruption have hollowed out Iranian industries, caused rampant unemployment, and prompted rocketing inflation. Rather than cause Iran’s economic decline, the international community is finally holding the Iranian regime to account.

A Turning Tide

In early January, the EU introduced its first sanctions against the Iranian regime since the landmark JCPOA agreement. The new sanctions targeted a branch of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) as well as two senior officials.

Despite the new sanctions, many in the Iranian opposition, including the People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK), believe that without a full terrorist blacklisting of the MOIS and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the effect of any sanctions will be severely limited.

Although the sanctions are limited in scope, they do represent a changing tide in the mindset of European governments. For decades, the EU’s heads of state have stuck firmly to a policy of appeasement. But now, after a string of Iranian state-sponsored terror attacks plotted on European soil, France and Britain are leading the charge for a firmer stance against Iran.

Amongst the possible actions up for discussion are economic sanctions, asset freezes, and travel bans for senior figures in the Iranian regime.

A senior EU diplomat said, “we’d prefer not to take these measures, but they [the mullahs] need to stop trying to kill people on our territory.”

.@Maryam_Rajavi: The fact that gaining access to weapons of mass destruction, violations of human rights, export of fundamentalism, and terrorism are the four pillars of the theocratic regime ruling Iran.#IStandWithMaryamRajavi#FreeIran #MEK@SecPompeohttps://t.co/6JXTlKP0wE pic.twitter.com/ZwaII86ylA

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) January 21, 2019

In 2018, the Iranian regime plotted several terror attacks and assassinations against members of the MEK and other dissident groups living on European soil. Plots were unraveled in Albania, France, Denmark, and the US.

Albanian President Expresses Support for Expulsion of Iranian Regime Diplomats

The Poland Conference

The United States has organized a conference in Poland on the 13^th and 14^th of February in which the international community will discuss the Iranian threat. The foreign ministries from 90 countries across the globe will attend. International cooperation and support for a firmer stance against the regime are essential for curbing their nuclear ambitions and ending their campaign of terror on European soil.

The president-elect of the Iranian opposition, Maryam Rajavi, said,

“we have always urged western governments to be firm against the mullahs’ terrorist dictatorship. So, today, we urge them to expel the mercenaries of the mullahs’ intelligence services and the terrorist Qods force from the US and Europe.”

The MEK and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) have worked relentlessly to draw attention to the human rights abuses taking place across Iran. Ahead of the conference in Warsaw, the Iranian opposition will hold a major demonstration against the Iranian regime’s widespread abuse of human rights and employment of terrorism as a technique of repression.

Rajavi is convinced. She has spoken on the international stage and asserted that the only way to free the Iranian people from the violent and repressive clerical regime is through regime change. Following four failed terror attacks in Europe, any measure short of listing the MOIS and IRGC as terrorist organizations will fall well short of what is needed to eliminate the Iranian threat and bring stability to the Middle East and beyond.

Staff Writer

On Tuesday, the Iranian regime’s nuclear chief made a shocking statement in an interview on the Face to Face television show. Ali Akbar Salehi said outright that the Iranian regime would continue activities at its heavy water plant in Arak, transfer 30 tons of yellowcake uranium to its conversion facility in Natanz, and build two new nuclear power reactors in Bushehr Province. This is despite Iran’s continued participation in the 2015 nuclear deal.

How we duped the West, by Iran's nuclear negotiator | via @Telegraph http://t.co/6cFnxY3raJ Rouhani lied before; remember this?

— Tony Duheaume (@TonyDuheaume) April 30, 2015

According to Salehi, Iran can do this because the nuclear deal has a number of technical flaws that the regime can exploit. He also said that the photographs of the existing nuclear reactor in Iran filled with cement were photoshopped. These images were taken and widely circulated as evidence that the reactor was unusable and therefore in compliance with the terms of the nuclear deal. Salehi claimed that Iran was never technically required to seal the reactor.

 

Salehi continued: “Iran has lost nothing as a result of signing the agreement and history will prove this. We have preserved our capabilities in the field of enrichment. We are…continuing to manufacture new centrifuges. We are doing everything we need to do.”

Behrooz Kamalvandi, a representative for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, also publicly stated that Iran’s nuclear program is ongoing, saying that the Arak facility is currently being redesigned with financial assistance from China. Kamalvandi said that these plans would not change even if the nuclear plan fell apart. China is a signatory of the nuclear deal.

The MEK’s Opposition to the Nuclear Deal

Sanctions were originally imposed upon Iran’s oil industry because the international community became aware of the regime’s nuclear program. This discovery was made by MEK supporters inside Iran who smuggled information about the regime’s nuclear activities outside of the country at great personal risk.

NCRI Revelation: Activities Continue at Organization Responsible for Work on Nuclear Weapons. #Iran #irandeal https://t.co/exL4omD6jv pic.twitter.com/x4pzx7V7ZG

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 21, 2017

When the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was proposed, the MEK vocally opposed the deal, stating that the regime had never ceased their nuclear program and would not comply with the terms of the deal. The MEK has continued to oppose the nuclear deal and has been adamant in stating that Iran’s nuclear program is still active and poses a threat to the global community.

All of the Benefits with None of the Restrictions

 

Salehi’s statement has left many questioning the Iranian regime’s intentions. Why would the regime admit that it intends to create new nuclear facilities and materials, why would it claim to have falsified evidence that it rendered its reactor unusable, and why would it do so now?

 

Simply put, the Iranian regime never ceased its nuclear program, nor did it end its ambition to create nuclear weapons. The process has accelerated significantly because of the recent domestic and international crises facing the mullahs, including the widespread protests taking place inside the country and the blacklisting of the regime’s Intelligence Ministry by the E.U. in response to a series of attempted terrorist attacked by Iranian agents in Europe last year.

Regime Officials Respond to EU Blacklisting of MOIS Agents with Threats and Finger Pointing

Since the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal last year, Iran’s oil exports have dropped to under one million barrels per day.
This is despite the regime’s efforts to solicit the aid of the E.U. in retaining international buyers. The E.U. has been less than helpful in this pursuit so far, causing the regime’s Foreign Ministry to walk out of a meeting with E.U. representatives on January 8th. The regime, finding itself in a desperate position, is now using the strategy it most commonly employs when cornered: threats.

Salehi claimed earlier this month that Iran had the capability to increase its uranium enrichment by 20% within four days. A few days ago, the regime made a failed attempt to launch satellites into space using technology that could be used to launch a nuclear warhead.

 

Some supporters of regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that Iran should withdraw from the nuclear deal completely. Regime President Hassan Rouhani and his supporters say that Iran should remain part of the deal. Salehi’s statements provide a compromise for the two factions. Hassan Rouhani’s faction can claim the victory of keeping the benefits of remaining part of the nuclear deal, while Khamenei’s faction can ignore the restrictions, essentially violating the spirit of the deal.

Staff Writer

 

 

Conditions in Iran’s infamous Evin Prison are deteriorating rapidly, according to reports from MEK sources. Poor food quality, lack of basic hygiene supplies, and unavailability of medicine are all among the issues affecting the inmates at Evin Prison.

After 2 weeks the family of human rights activist Behnam Musivand #بهنام_موسیوند visited him in #Iran’s Evin Prison. He was in poor health. He was taken to an unknown location again. #بهنام_موسیوند_کجاست #FreeThemAll pic.twitter.com/EBHeONARW3

— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) February 15, 2018

The prison, located in Tehran, has long been known for its brutal practices and inhumane conditions. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly condemned the appalling conditions at Iranian prisons, specifically Evin Prison. This makes the current decline in conditions particularly disturbing.

No news on #HumanRights activist Saeid Seifi, who has been arrested on Feb.1 and transferred to ward 209 of #Iran 's Evin Prison. He has been deprived of family visit. #FreeThemAll pic.twitter.com/G5F9ekIzsW

— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) February 22, 2018

Substandard Food Quality

Reports indicate that the quality of food at Evin Prison has declined markedly over the past few months and is getting worse every day. The prison does not serve meat and only provides soy as a protein source. Inmates have described the food as inedible. Some sources have described the provision of substandard food as a deliberate act by authorities to harass the inmates.

Other reports say that the regime has decreased food rations by half over the past months. Those who do not have money to supplement their diets at the prison commissary are left to go hungry. Political prisoners are disproportionately affected by these practices.

Unavailability of Basic Items

Basic items which are not provided to inmates must be purchased at the prison commissary. Prison officials drastically mark up the prices on goods sold to inmates, leaving many prisoners without essential items. The commissary lacks hygiene supplies and basic medicine. There is a shortage of food in the prison commissary as well, meaning that even those who can afford the commissary prices must do without.

Prison authorities are also reportedly stealing money from inmates’ commissary accounts and forging receipts to cover their crimes.

Lack of Medical Care

Medical patients in the prison’s clinic are kept in unbearable conditions. The clinic does not have a functional heating system, and there is not sufficient medicine for the patients. Medical staff act in an unprofessional manner toward their patients, which furthers their suffering.

Rouhollah Mardani, held in Evin Prison has been on hunger strike since Dec. 7, to protest being denied medical treatment & inhumane prison conditions.
Mardani was sentenced by a preliminary court to 6 years in prison for taking part in peaceful #Iranprotests pic.twitter.com/yO8mrz9ups

— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) December 13, 2018

Medical care is severely lacking in Evin Prison, and inmates who become severely ill are not transferred to hospitals for treatment. Anyone who becomes very sick at the prison may face death due to the neglect of medical staff.

Imprisoned Iranian teacher and trade unionist Mohammad Habibi is in poor health and is being denied the urgent specialized medical care he needs in #Iran Evin Prison#HumanRights https://t.co/6yNWCuDSpC pic.twitter.com/5whckKKoe4

— IRAN HRM (@IranHrm) October 1, 2018

Poor Hygiene Conditions

Inmates at Evin Prison suffer greatly in winter. Prisoners are not given hot water for showers, and heating appliances are turned off. The resulting cold causes a number of illnesses among the prison population.

Overcrowding in many of Iran’s prisons have led to appalling hygiene conditions. Disease is rampant. Inmates in some prisons are left without beds and must sleep on the floor in hallways.

Political prisoners are often placed alongside violent criminals in Evin Prison in order to intimidate and harass them. The Iranian regime has stepped up its crackdown on political protesters in the wake of the widespread protests that have taken place over the past year. The regime hopes that it can suppress the protests with brutal acts of intimidation. The people will not be silenced though. The MEK and the Iranian Opposition will continue to protest with the Iranian people until the regime is toppled and the mullahs’ reign of terror is over.

Staff Writer

 

 

.

December marked the anniversary of the 2009 “Ashura uprising” in Iran. On Sunday, the regime, in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the anti-regime demonstrations that led to violent clashes between regime security forces and the thousands of Iranians from cities and towns across the country who had taken to the streets in protest, staged their own “anti-demonstrations.”

"All across Iran, the people are rightly blaming the regime for their economic, social and political grieving and are increasingly calling for the overthrow of the regime."#Iran#IranRegimeChangehttps://t.co/jSfAmOLoTq

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 1, 2019

The government-organized event was sparsely attended, despite widespread prior advertising for the demonstration. Most of the attendees were IRGC agents, Basij Forces, or other agents of the regime, and many were school children who had been obliged to participate in the event.

Fear of the MEK

High-ranking officials within the regime made a number of comments on the anniversary of the 2009 uprisings that point to their fear of the current protests taking place across the country. Their remarks also show their concern about the role of the MEK and the Iranian Opposition in the protest movement.

The Regime’s Fear is a Sign of Changing Times

In his comments on the Ashura uprising, Ali Larijani, the Speaker of the Iranian regime’s parliament, warned, “Opportunists and anti-revolutionaries want to take advantage of the political turmoil inside the country. The opponents of the revolution are seeking an opportunity to cause damage to the revolution.”

In a session of parliament, regime MP Naser Mousavi Larijani said, “The 2009 sedition pursued the aims of the PMOI/MEK to destroy our system.”

MEK’s Pivotal Role

In Shahr-e Kord, Abdollah Ganji, one of the directors of the IRGC-owned Fars News Agency, said, “The PMOI/MEK members who were relocated from Iraq to Albania are creating content for social media networks [in Iran].” Ganji also noted that the MEK has had a pivotal role in publishing news about labor strikes and protests and in disclosing the details of the lavish lifestyles of Iranian officials and their children abroad, which is a stark contrast to the extreme poverty that has become the everyday reality of the lives of millions of Iranians.

Next Year’s Protests

Another regime MP, Jahanbakhsh Mohebinia, commented about the regime’s fear of protests in the next year. “The government and judiciary should not paint an eventful picture of the year to come,” he said. “The current Persian year has not yet ended and we’re already talking about what troubles we’ll be facing next year.”

In Qom, Ahmad Khatami, member of the presidency council of the Assembly of Experts, said, “The people of Tehran saw eight months of strife. They saw that [MEK] causes strife on every national celebration. On every national and religious celebration, they undermine the security of the people.”

A number of officials within the regime blamed the MEK for the Ashura uprising when it occurred. One of those officials was Ahmad Alamolhoda, a senior cleric and a regular speaker at Tehran’s Friday prayers. After the uprising, he said, “The rioters of Ashura [2009] were chanting the slogans of the [MEK], so they were the assistants of the [MEK]. The [MEK] commanded the movements on Ashura day.”

The regime is correct to fear the upcoming year of protests. The calls for regime change have grown over the past year as the protests in Iran have grown and spread to include people from all sectors of society. The people are ready for change, and the current regime has proven that it is beyond reform.

Staff Writer

 

 

 

 

December 28th marks the one year anniversary of the nationwide uprising that mobilized people from all walks of life to take to the streets in protest of Iran’s theocratic regime. The protests began in Mashhad on December 28, 2017, and spread to over 140 cities in every province in Iran over a two week period.

Maryam Rajavi calls for support for the striking workers and urgent action to secure the release of those arrested#Iran#IranProtestshttps://t.co/rBepQKpCRu pic.twitter.com/dwN4FKwNVB

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) December 19, 2018

The initial protests were in response to the economic disaster facing the country. Poverty, corruption, inflation, and rising unemployment drove many Iranians into the streets to protests. But as the uprising grew in strength and numbers, the demonstrators began to protest the regime itself.

Protesters chanted, “Death to the dictator!”

“Death to [Supreme Leader] Khamenei!”

“Khamenei shame on you, let go of your rule!”

One year later, Iran is still the scene of daily protests and demonstrations against the authoritarian regime. The protesters have made it clear that they will not be satisfied until the ruling regime is toppled and democracy is restored to Iran.

The MEK has played a leading role in the protests taking place across Iran. As the movement to topple the mullahs’ regime has grown, the people have sought a viable alternative to the corrupt dictatorship that has destroyed Iran’s economy and environment, and that has oppressed its people for the past four decades. The MEK offers a democratic alternative that will restore freedom to Iran.

Iran News Wire summarized protest activity in Iran over the past year. The following is a summary of their report:

January

Recorded Protests: 643

Daily Average: 21

#IranProtests – Tehran, January 9, 2018 front of Evin Prison https://t.co/dwe8XMhcpn#تظاهرات_سراري pic.twitter.com/3HipV5hwH2

— Iran Focus (@Iran_Focus) January 9, 2018

The uprising that began in December 2017 continued into January, and protests took an anti-regime turn in the month of January. Protesters set fire to Basij bases and tore down images of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

February

Recorded Protests: 596

Daily Average: 21

Today Wednesday February 21, 2018, some of the looted depositors of 'Caspian' & 'Arman Vahdat' financial institutions, held a protest gathering in fronot ot regime's parliament and asked 4 the recuperation of their deposts, in this protest gathering. #IranProtests #Iran #Tehran pic.twitter.com/GXAkd4SGJo

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 21, 2018

March

Recorded Protests: 422

Daily Average: 14

April

Recorded Protests: 452

Daily Average: 15

#Iran: Residents of Kazeroon, in southern Iran, continued their demonstrations for the sixth consecutive day on Friday, April 20, 2018. A large number of suburb residents joined the demonstrators.#IranProtests #FreeIran

https://t.co/EAHzWRM9Wq pic.twitter.com/nm4QSJyJjy

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 21, 2018

May

Recorded Protests: 1,093

Daily Average: 35

Striking truck-drivers crippling #Iran regime
Despite the Iranian regime's suppressive measures, according to the #NCRI report; it began in May 2018, and now the strike covers 259 cities. #IranProtests @hassan_mahmou1https://t.co/JnyDYaVREV

— IranGathering (@IranGathering) October 5, 2018

June

Recorded Protests: 475

Daily Protests: 16

#IranProtests – 28 June 2018
(19)
Tehran, #Iran
Store owners in the capital's rug bazaar join the expanding #IranStrikes.#QAnon pic.twitter.com/50IfiXZYpf

— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) June 28, 2018

 

In June, bazaar merchants in Tehran launched a large-scale strike in protest of the failing economy and rising prices. Protesters in Khoramshahr took to the streets to protest water scarcity.

Protests quickly turned to calls for regime change, with chants of “Death to the Dictator!”, “Death to Rouhani!”, “Death to Khamenei!”, and “Our enemy is right here, they lie when they say it’s the U.S.!”

Women played a key role during the protests in Khorramshahr and in Khuzestan in southwest Iran.

July

Recorded Protests and Strikes: 970 in cities and regions

Daily Average: 31

Fourteenth Day of Strike by Truck Drivers in Cities Across #Iran
The second round of strikes by truck drivers which began on July 23rd in different cities of Iran, continued on its fourteenth day today on Sunday, August 5, 2018.#IranProtests #FreeIran2018 pic.twitter.com/ra9vp8o5CJ

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 6, 2018

August

Recorded Protests: 133

Daily Average: 20

Iran – Ahwaz
Demonstration of workers of the steel industry complex in Ahwaz for the tenth day in a row, repeating the slogan: the worker dies and will not accept humiliation
Monday 27 August 2018
#Iran #IranRegimeChange #Iranprotests #MEK #PMOI pic.twitter.com/lKFPUkt9K4

— iran panorama (@rezahoseanirad2) August 27, 2018

September

Recorded Protests: 1,367 in 293 cities, villages and business and industry regions

Daily Average: 46

Iran’s truck drivers began their nationwide organized strike in September.

October

Recorded Protests: 1,533 in 323 cities, villages, and business and industry regions

Daily Average: 49

October saw the most protest activity in Iran in 2018. Truck drivers, teachers, and bazaar merchants all went on strike in October.

Iran
Since Monday morning, 8 October, large sectors of the Tehran market and the markets of various cities have started a strike and shopkeepers have not opened their shops.
Monday October 8, 2018#IranProtests #IranStrikes pic.twitter.com/sSHSm62XYr

— iran panorama (@rezahoseanirad2) October 8, 2018

November

Recorded Protests: 911 in 171 cities, villages, and business and industry regions

Daily Average: 30

Iranian truck drivers went on another round of strikes in November, as did Iran’s teachers.

The workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Factory workers in Shush and the Iran National Steel Group workers in Ahvaz also began striking in protest of months of unpaid wages. Their weeks-long strikes would attract international attention.

Head of Iranian Regime’s Judiciary Threatens Striking Workers

December

Recorded Protests: 273 as of December 21st

Daily Average: 9

Workers, credit union clients, retirees, students, and prisoners all protesters during the month of December.

The regime arrested a number of striking Ahvaz steelworkers and Haft Tappeh factory workers in an escalation of their previous attempts to suppress the strikes. Regime agents carried out a series of midnight raids on the houses of striking workers and arrested dozens of workers. Reports indicate that labor activist Esmail Bakhshi was tortured in prison.

Iran – Ahvaz
The Ahvaz steelworkers factory who were protesting for 2 months hold rally based on previous call & despite presence of security forces & threats to arrest & suppression.
Chant:" Every workers calling for the death of tyrants"
December 15, 2018#Iran #Iranprotests pic.twitter.com/c6Kssql6bH

— iran panorama (@rezahoseanirad2) December 15, 2018

Iranian truck drivers started their fifth round of strikes this month as well. Those numbers are not included in the report, which will be updated by Iran News Wire in January.

Staff Writer

Twelve teachers were arrested and another thirty were summoned and interrogated by police following the two-day nationwide strike by Iranian teachers.

By intimidating and arresting honorable teachers of #Iran , the clerical regime seeks to prevent their protests to demand their rights. I urge the International Community to take urgent action for freedom of imprisoned teachers.

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) November 16, 2018

The Teachers’ Trade Organizations’ Coordination Council released a statement on Thursday about the arrests. The statement, which was published on the trade union’s Telegram account, read:

“Activists were summoned to the Intelligence Agency, Revolutionary Guards Corps Intelligence Department, Protection Agencies and Security Police in almost all the provinces that participated in the strikes. At least 30 activists, including Eskandar Lotfi, a member of the Iran Teachers’ Coordination Council, were summoned and interrogated, while more than 50 threatening messages were received by activists.”

According to the Council, the November strikes were intended to pressure the regime to implement promised reforms and end mismanagement of the educational system. The teachers went on strike in spite of the regime’s threats and its history of arresting and imprisoning teacher activists.

The Teachers’ Trade Organizations’ Coordination Council condemned the crackdown on activists and the arrests of teachers, warning that the regime could face consequences for these arrests. They then called for the release of the arrested teachers and an end to its practice of arbitrarily. arresting union members.

Their statement read: “It is obvious that if the suppression continues, the Coordination Council deems necessary the right hold legal protests based on the constitution.”

The nationwide strikes by Iran’s teachers took place on November 13th and November 14th to protest low pay, the regime’s failure to implement policy changes, and poor benefits. The teachers also demanded the release of their colleagues who were arrested during the previous round of strikes in October.

The nationwide strikes spread quickly, with 40 cities taking part in the protest on the second day. Since the popular uprising began in Iran last December, the MEK has mobilized protests across the country. MEK’s resistance units, have allowed protests to grow and spread before the regime can suppress them. It has also allowed activists to gets news of the Resistance outside of the country to supporters.

The following is a list of those who have been arrested, according to reports from the Teachers’ Trade Organizations’ Coordination Council and other activist groups:

• Mohammad Reza Ramezanzadeh, Secretary of the Iran Teachers’ Trade Association in North Khorasan Province, was arrested on Monday after his home was raided.
• Saied Hagh Parast, Ali Forotan, Hamidreza Rajaie, and Hossein Ramezanpour were arrested. They are board members of the North Khorasan Teachers’ Association.
• Pirouz Nami and Ali Korushat were detained in Khuzestan Province. They are both activists.
• Mohammad Robati and Ms. Vaezi were arrested in Shirvan.
• Mohammad Ali Zahmatkesh, Mohammad Kord and Fatemeh Bahmani were arrested in Fars and Arak.

Staff Writer

Strikes continued across Iran on Thursday, with additional workers joining the nationwide movement, reports the MEK sources inside Iran. Factory workers, steelworkers, and merchants are now all part of the growing strike movement.

Bazaar Owners’ Strike

In Tabriz, in northwest Iran, bazaar owners went on strike on Wednesday in protest of rising prices, scarcity of goods, and a decrease in customers. MEK sources inside Iran reported that shops near Sa’at Square and Taleghani Avenue were closed. Shop owners in other cities reportedly joined the strike and closed their shops as well.

A report on store-owners going on strike in Tabriz, northwest #Iran, and protests across the country.#IranProtestshttps://t.co/DKn6bgb7AF

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 15, 2018

Factory Workers’ Strike

On Thursday, factory workers from the Haft Tappeh Sugar Mill Company in Shush continued their strike for the eleventh consecutive day. The workers rallied outside of the governor’s office in Shush, chanting, “Death to oppressors, hail to workers!” and “Shush locals, support us!”

The factory workers are striking because they have not been paid for four months and to protest the privatization of the Haft Tappeh Sugar Mill Company.

The striking factory workers also expressed solidarity with the Ahvaz steel workers, who have been striking for seven consecutive days. They chanted, “Proud steel workers, thank you, thank you!”

Steel Workers’ Strike

Ahvaz Steel Factory workers rallied on the streets of Ahvaz on Wednesday to demand better working conditions and their unpaid wages. The steel workers marched to the governor’s office and blocked the surrounding streets. In videos posted on social media by the MEK network, the steel workers can be heard chanting, “We will not leave from here, until we receive our rights!”

“No nation has seen this much injustice!”

“Workers of Khuzestan, unite, unite!”

Support for the Strikes

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) previously released a statement supporting the strikes. The statement read: “Workers of the Ahvaz National Steel Group also protested on Saturday, gathering in front of the governor’s office in the city. They chanted: No nation has seen this much injustice; Hossein Hossein, is their slogan, theft is their pride; what did behind the scene hands have done with the factory?”

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the NCRI, has been vocal in her support of the nationwide strike movement, recently tweeting in support of the striking steel workers and factory workers:

Hail to the deprived workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Factory and Steel Factory of #Ahvaz who have risen up to demand their rights, calling for expansion of the protests by the slogan of “Workers of Khuzestan, unite, unite.”#IranProtests #IranRegimeChange #FreeIran2018

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) November 14, 2018

“Hail to the deprived workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Factory and Steel Factory of #Ahvaz who have risen up to demand their rights, calling for an expansion of the protests by the slogan of ‘Workers of Khuzestan, unite, unite.’”

Mrs. Rajavi reiterated her support of the continuing strikes in another tweet: “Workers’ unity and perseverance against the mullahs’ oppressive rule herald a free, prosperous #Iran devoid of all forms of repression and discrimination.”

November 15
Shush, southwest #Iran
Haft Tappeh sugar mill employees are rallying on this 11th day of their ongoing strike.

"Death to liars"#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/ZvOWXUcsJ5

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 15, 2018

The Ahvaz steel workers have been forced to strike three times this year for unpaid wages and better working conditions. During the June strikes, more than 50 striking workers were arrested and four were beaten while being transferred to jail.

In June, the Free Workers Union of Iran commented on the brutal beatings, saying, “One of the workers was beaten to the extent that he suffered a haemorrhage, but the authorities did not make an effort to transfer him to a medical facility.”

Staff Writer

Iran’s truckers have launched a new round of strikes in cities across the country. The latest round of strikes is the fourth to take place this year. The drivers hope to secure the release of colleagues who were arrested in previous strikes and to compel the regime to respond to their demands.

November 1
Shiraz, south-central #Iran
No trucks seen as drivers are protesting the apprehension of their colleagues.#IranianTruckersOnStrike pic.twitter.com/p33sGi3NPf

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 1, 2018

Truckers in cities across Iran are participating in the strikes. Reports from the MEK network indicate that strikes and rallies have taken place in Najaf Abad, Shahroud, Asaloyeh and Shadgan, among other cities.

Truckers in Najaf Abad in central Iran parked their trucks and went on strike after receiving a call to launch a nationwide protest that was posted on social media.

Drivers on the road to Isfahan report that the road is empty of heavy trucks, which means it is likely that truckers are heading the call to strike and joining the protest movement, a report from MEK network inside Iran indicates.

Oct 4
Courageous truck drivers across #Iran are persistent in their nationwide strike & demanding:

-Higher wages
-Low prices for spare parts/tires
-Authorities respond to their demands#IranianTruckersOnStrike pic.twitter.com/ZAEGcejr4U

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 4, 2018

The state-run ILNA news agency reported that Iran’s poultry farms have already been affected by the strike. Because truck drivers refuse to carry goods, the farms have no chicken feed.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egg Laying Hens Union of Tehran said that the strike has led to severe shortages. “There are lots of goods in the ports but not enough trucks to transfer them to factories,” he said.

Iranian’s truckers start fourth round of strike

The last round of truck drivers’ strikes went on for 21 consecutive days and ended just last month. Security forces arrested more than 200 truck drivers for participating in the strikes and threatened to execute 17 of the arrested drivers.

The drivers garnered worldwide support from labor unions, including the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the Teamsters, including others, who condemned the regime’s treatment of the drivers and their threats of execution.

According to reports, officials from the regime’s

Ministry of Road & Construction eventually agreed to concede to one of the truckers’ demands. The regime promised that transfer fees on loads within Iran will now be based on the ton/kilometers standard. It remains to be seen whether or not this promise will be honored. The regime has made concessions after previous strikes that have gone unfulfilled or partially fulfilled.

Iran’s truck drivers have lost weeks of pay due to the strikes. The truckers have been intimidated by the regime, arrested, and threatened with execution. Truck drivers make up an integral part of Iran’s infrastructure, but they struggle to pay their bills and to do their jobs safely. When they park their trucks, they do so because they have no other choice. The MEK supports the striking drivers in fighting for a fair labor system and a democratic country in which no worker must work in unfair conditions for poverty-level wages.

Staff Writer