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Showing posts from January, 2018

Countering Iran’s Threat, Strategies for Regional Stability

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  Written by Mahmoud Hakamian Two-minute read On Sunday morning, April 14, the Iranian regime launched an unprecedented attack against Israel, escalating tensions in the Middle East. Despite military experts’ assessments that the attack failed, it underscores  Iran’s role as a focal point  of regional conflict. The October 7th attack sent shockwaves globally. Despite ample evidence implicating the Iranian regime, Western governments dismissed Tehran’s involvement, adhering to a flawed appeasement policy toward the primary state sponsor of terrorism. They disregarded explicit statements from Revolutionary Guards  (IRGC) commanders boasting  about their direct role in the attack. For decades, the Iranian Resistance has urged the international community to adopt a resolute stance against the Iranian regime’s aggression and terrorism. Despite persistent calls, the failed appeasement policy of the West allowed Tehran to escalate its belligerent activities, including financing, arming, train

An End to the Iranian Regime Is Coming

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NCRI Staff NCRI - Iran’s so-called Assembly of Experts recently expressed concerns about the consequences of the widespread Iranian uprising in a meeting of its senior board. In this meeting assembly chief Ahmad Jannati and spokesman Ahmad Khatami highlighted three crises facing the Regime in response to the protests; the legitimacy of the people's demands, the blowback that the Regime is facing internationally because of its crackdown against the protests, and the Regime’s failure to censor and control the internet. The truth is the Regime were unprepared for the Iranian people’s protest which clearly demanded regime change and they were also unprepared for the international community to largely support the Iranian people. Mehdi Abrishamchi, Chair of the Peace Commission in the Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said: "This uprising took the ruling regime and many foreign analysts by surprise. At a time when the Ir

Iran news in brief, January 30, 2018

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THE U.N. MUST INVESTIGATE IRAN'S 1988 MASSACRE, OR DETAINED PROTESTERS TODAY FACE SAME FATE

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BY  TAHAR BOUMEDRA The United Nations (U.N.) is often criticized for not acting or not intervening promptly to rescue victims of gross violations of human rights. This is an observation I came to register when I was in the field as chief of the U.N. Human Rights Office in Iraq. This week, I will attend a civil society hearing in Geneva for the purpose of investigating the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran, yet another case where the global body of nations failed to act in a timely manner. Nearly 30 years after the massacre of as many as 30,000 political prisoners, a group of NGOs are holding a civil society hearing to investigate this atrocity for the first time, next door to the U.N. headquarters in Geneva. Survivors of the massacre, relatives of victims and human rights experts will present testimonies and reflect on the way forward. This hearing couldn't be more timely, given the perilous fate that awaits the several thousand Iranians who have been arbitrarily

THE MEK’S WRONGFUL TERRORIST DESIGNATION

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Written by Mahmoud Hakamian After 15 terrible years, the US finally  removed  Iranian Resistance group People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK/PMOI) from its list of foreign terrorist organisations in September 2012, following countless court cases that found in the MEK’s favour and previous removals of the MEK from terror lists by the UK, France and the European Union. But the MEK should never have been placed on any terrorist watch list in the first place, so how did they end up there, what effect did this have on the MEK’s fight for freedom in Iran, and how did the MEK finally get removed from the terror watch list? Let’s explore.   How did the MEK end up on terrorist watch lists?   The Iranian Regime claimed that the MEK was involved in terrorism, but could provide no actual evidence to support their lies. However, the international community wanted to build a relationship between the mullahs and the international community, because they didn’t see the Resistance as capable

IRAN’S UPRISING IS ORGANIZED AND HEADING FOR A SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

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Shahriar Kia “Riyadh Daily” The senior board of Iran’s so-called Assembly of Experts recently expressed grave concerns regarding the consequences of Iran’s latest uprising. In this session assembly chief, Ahmad Jannati and spokesman Ahmad Khatami referred to three important crises facing the regime in regards to these protests. 1. The legitimacy of the people’s demands 2. The impasse Iran’s regime is facing in continuing its crackdown campaign 3. Failure and inability to control the internet The truth is this uprising is an unexpected earthquake, and of course with a clear objective launched by the Iranian people against the entirety of the mullahs’ regime. Their obvious goal is the all-out overthrowing of this regime. Mehdi Abrishamchi, Chairman of the Peace Commission in the Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), provided some understanding in this regard in a recent interview with the INTV satellite network, broadcasted

The uprising of the Iranian people is flaming and the mullahs regime can not stop it.

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The uprising of the Iranian people is flaming and the mullahs regime can not stop it. https://twitter.com/rezahoseanirad2/status/958085458407411722

What You Should Know About Iranian Resistance Leader Maryam Rajavi

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Maryam Rajavi is the leader of the combined Iranian Resistance forces, which fight for freedom and democracy in Iran. She is president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a broad coalition of resistance groups, with has the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) as its largest member, which serves as the government in exile for Iran. Maryam Rajavi first  joined  the MEK in the early 1970s- not long after its founding- when they were fighting against the brutal regime of the Shah. Her family were also involved in the struggle against the Shah; her brother Mahmoud was also a member of the MEK and was held as a political prisoner during the Shah’s reign, while her sister Narges was tragically murdered by the Shah’s secret police (known as SAVAK) in 1975. Still, her family fought on to attain freedom for all Iranians. Shortly after joining the MEK, Maryam Rajavi became an official in its student movement (1973-79) before moving on to its so

‘Halal’ internet means more control in Iran after unrest

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Jan. 29, 2018 — … Over the past four years, authorities have encouraged wider use of the internet among Iranians, hoping to generate the benefits of a more modern economy. As a result, nearly half the population has in its pockets a tool that the state is struggling to constrain: smartphones, with cameras and internet links that let anyone broadcast to the world. Those smartphones helped spread the startling burst of protests across Iran that opened 2018. The government succeeded in suffocating the flare-up in part by shutting off key social media and messaging apps, but the lesson was clear: The same oxygen that can resuscitate commerce can also give breath to potential revolt. Authorities’ solution has been to create a so-called “halal net,” Iran’s own locally controlled version of the internet aimed at restricting what the public can see. As Iran approaches the 40th anniversary of the revolution that brought its cleric-led rule to power, how it

Iran news in brief, January 29, 2018

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Maryam Rajavi’s Message of Condolence on the Loss of David Vaughan, Prominent UK Barrister

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NCRI Staff NCRI - Brick Court QC and European law specialist David Vaughan CBE has died aged 79. Brick Court confirmed that Vaughan passed away on the morning of the January15, 2018. Vaughan celebrated 50 years at the Bar in 2013, 35 of which were spent as a Queen’s Councel. He joined Brick Court in 1963. During his long career, Vaughan was elevated to eminent positions including chairman of the competition working party and honorary professor of European Law at Durham University. He also sat as a deputy High Court judge. David Vaughan was also a great friend and defender of the Iranian resistance, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi the President elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran sent the following message on the loss of this great friend of the Iranian people. Message of Maryam Rajavi : I would like to extend my sincere condolences on the passing away of Mr. David Vaughan QC, to his family as well as the lawyers and people of Britain. David Vaughan was a prominent

How to pursue talks with Iran while isolation haunts the regime

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By Heshmat Alavi What we have all come to understand is the fact that protests across Iran came as a major shock for the ruling regime and the international community. While the first wave of protests may have been quelled, Iran's regime fully understands there is an intense fire burning in this powder keg society. Making matters even worse, and a subject Tehran refuses to discuss, is the parallel expansion of international isolation currently haunting this regime. The Obama years are gone and the United States, Europe and the Arab World are adopting increasingly stronger positions against Iran's belligerent policies. Iranian protesters are following these developments closely, knowing the stronger the international effort, the weaker the clerical rulers will be in quelling their demands for ultimate regime change. Washington initiative In response to U.S. President Donald Trump's 120-day ultimatum for Europe to improve the Iran nuclear deal, formally known a