Let's talk Iran - July 8, 2021
Exiled Iranians to seek regime’s overthrow with ‘World Summit’
Maryam Rajavi, dissident leader, says Iran 'on the brink of a seismic change'
Regime change in Iran by the people of Iran. LINK
Iran’s new president is an out-and-out monster — and enemy of minorities
Raisi is the hard-line prodigy of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and is tipped as a potential successor to the role of Top Tyrant. Raisi, who leaves the position of chief of the judiciary to take up the presidency, was one of four judges in the late 1980s to sit on the “Death Panel.” It was as horrific as it sounds, ordering the execution of thousands of regime opponents (and suspected opponents).
More recently, in his role as head of the judiciary, Raisi amplified the pursuit of minority faith groups in Iran, not least the Baha’is. LINK
NUCLEAR
Israel pushing US to keep Trump sanctions on Iran, even if nuke deal resurrected
Recognizing that the Biden administration is intent on returning to the Iran nuclear agreement in its original form, Israel has focused on convincing the US to leave in place sanctions instituted by former president Donald Trump after the 2015 accord was signed. LINK
The Coming Sanctions Battle Over Iran’s New President
The Biden administration is taking an expansive view of sanctions relief and even hinted at a willingness to remove non-nuclear sanctions under the auspices of some being “inconsistent with the deal.”
What good does it do to feign accountability over Raisi but offer impunity and financial access to a regime that has employed and promoted men like Raisi to the heights of political power. LINK
PROTESTS
Iran: Blackouts Fuel Public Protests
As the blackouts have persisted, so have protests. And as public awareness of the regime’s role in those blackouts has grown, the protests have grown in both size and geographic reach while also taking on explicitly anti-government messaging. LINK
Three dead in SE Iran hospital due to blackouts
Iranians are protesting in several cities against lengthy and unannounced blackouts, chanting “Down with Khamenei” from their homes, blaming the regime and its unelected Supreme Leader. LINK
Iran annuls death sentence of man ten months after his execution
Iran annuls death sentence of man... wait for it... ten months AFTER his execution. Khezr Ghavidel was arrested in 2013 for drug charges and sentenced to death along with two others.
At least 150 prisoners have been executed since January 2021. A large number of the executions are based on charges that do not amount to ‘most serious crimes’. LINK
Iran: Continued protests and strikes by oil and gas sector workers
Since the beginning of the strike, the strike has spread to more than 100 oil, gas, and petrochemical companies across Iran have joined the strike, and their movement is gaining momentum with every passing day. LINK
TERRORISM
Series of attacks target U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria
"Iraqi army officials said the pace of recent attacks against bases hosting U.S. forces with rockets and explosive-laden drones was unprecedented."
"It seems to me they have the green light from Iran to escalate, especially given that the nuclear negotiations are not going well. But at the same time, they do not want to escalate beyond a certain point – they are more vulnerable to U.S. air strikes than they used to be - and they don't want to overcomplicate the negotiations Iran is holding with the West."
And the Biden administration and Europe continue appeasing Iran's regime despite its support of Iraqi militias. LINK
Rockets land in Baghdad's Green Zone, near US embassy
"The U.S. has blamed Iran-backed militias for attacks—most of them rocket strikes—that have targeted the American presence in Baghdad and military bases across Iraq. More recently, the attacks have become more sophisticated, with militants using drones." LINK
With Lebanon in dire straits, Hezbollah seeks to cast Iran as country’s savior
"The disaster is seemingly being exacerbated by the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group, which is a central part of the government and holds significant power in the absence of a functional leadership. Hezbollah could even be forcing this paralysis in an attempt to subjugate Lebanon to Tehran." LINK
Analyzing ‘Deprivation’ From the View of Iran’s Officials
Iran has the world's second largest natural gas and fourth largest oil reserves. The money goes to:
-dictators like Assad
-terrorists like Hezbollah
-ballistic missiles
-a completely unnecessary nuclear program
Over 60 million Iranians live in poverty. LINK