In a letter to President Barack Obama,
76 senators demanded tougher punishment on the Iranian regime until the regime
scales back its nuclear program. It also urged Obama to consider military
options while keeping the door open to diplomacy, the Associated Press
reported.
The Senate letter comes just days after
the House overwhelmingly passed new sanctions on the regime's oil sector and
its mining and construction industries. Senators are expected to take up the
same package in September.
"Until we see a significant
slowdown of Iran's nuclear activities, we believe our nation must toughen
sanctions and reinforce the credibility of our option to use military force at
the same time as we fully explore a diplomatic solution to our dispute with
Iran," says the letter, which will be delivered Monday.
"Iran today continues its large-scale
installation of advanced centrifuges," their letter said. "This will
soon put it in the position to be able to rapidly produce weapons-grade
uranium, bringing Tehran to the brink of a nuclear weapons capability." "We
need to understand quickly whether Tehran is at last ready to negotiate
seriously," it added. "Iran needs to understand that the time for
diplomacy is nearing its end."
US House approves tough new Iran sanctions
According to Associated Press July 31st, the U.S. House of Representatives has
approved tough new sanctions on Iranian regime’s oil sector and other
industries. The bill adopted Wednesday blacklists any business in Iran’s mining and construction sectors and
commits the United States to the goal of ending all Iranian oil
sales worldwide by 2015.Petroleum sales are the biggest source of money for Iran’s nuclear program. Washington fears Iran is developing nuclear weapons.
Congressman Ed Royce slams Iranian regime lobby
The Washington Free Beacon reported on Aug. 1st that the chairman of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee chastised a self-described representative of
the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) on Capitol Hill Tuesday for
disseminating Iranian “propaganda.”
During a press briefing on Iran sanctions, Rep. Ed
Royce sharply rebuked a woman who identified herself as being from NIAC after
she claimed U.S. sanctions are
preventing the Iranian people from receiving “medicine and food.”
“That’s propaganda put out by the Iranian regime,” Royce said to the woman,
who identified herself as Samira Damavandi.
NIAC is an Iranian-American advocacy group long suspected of lobbying on
behalf of the Iranian regime.
Iran has more access to
medicine now than it has at any other time in the recent past, said Royce, who
added that access has increased by 35 percent since 2012.
“The regime does not want to spend earnings on medicine for the
population,” Royce said to Damavandi. “This is why the health minister was
fired.”
Royce went on to slam pro-Iran groups such as NIAC for pushing pro-regime
“propaganda.”
“It is concerning that propaganda is circulating here in the U.S. by some who speak
in favour of the policies taken by the regime,” Royce said. “We instead should
be applying pressure. Those who care about Iran should have been
supportive of the health minister who was fired” after he publicly went against
Iran’s supreme leader.
NIAC has long billed itself as an Iranian American advocacy group despite
multiple documents and investigations that suggest its founder, Trita Parsi,
has deep ties to the Iranian regime.
Parsi and NIAC have been accused in court of operating as agents of the
Iranian regime and lobbying Congress on behalf of it. NIAC was ordered to pay
nearly $200,000 in “sanctions” earlier this year after launching a failed
defamation lawsuit against one of its chief critics.
“That Parsi occasionally made statements reflecting a balanced, shared
blame approach is not inconsistent with the idea that he was first and foremost
an advocate for the regime,” a U.S. District Court judge wrote in his opinion
at the time.
Khamenei’s
new fatwas aimed at intensifying crackdown
Khamenei
declared revealing regime’s crimes, listening to music, dancing, wearing short
sleeve shirts for men, going to monasteries and associating with Baha’is, and …
as forbidden
Khamenei,
the mullahs’ supreme leader who is besieged by internal predicaments and
terrified over intensifying popular uprisings, has published a series of
repressive instructions and directives - under the guise of publishing new
fatwas - entitled “New Issues of the Source of Emulation for Shiites Across the
Globe”. By issuing this series, published by the Revolutionary
Guards-controlled Fars
news agency on July 30th, Khamenei has attempted to stabilize his position in
face of his rival factions on one hand, and also pave the grounds for
intensifying the regime’s repressive measures against the people and especially
the youth.
Khamenei's claim of source of emulation in the past was ridiculed to such an extent that he was forced to name himself the “Source of Emulation for Shiites Abroad”.
“The velayat-e faqih is a branch of the rule of the pure Imams (referring to the Shiite Islam’s twelve Imams), which is the rule of Prophet Mohammad. On issues related to administering an Islamic countries and matters that are related to all Muslims, the opinion of the ruler of Muslims is in priority,” he said in his new series of fatwas.
Khamenei announced the revelation of documents indicating the regime’s corruption and crimes as forbidden and wrote, “Reporting the officials’ injustice… is of no good before the people, and in fact if it causes sedition and corruption and degrades the Islamic government, it is forbidden.”
Khamenei, also writes in his fatwas, “Purchasing, possessing, installing and repairing satellite dishes is not authorized”, “If there are any laws in this regard they must be observed”, “It is vital to avoid viewing films that insult sacred values” and using Internet cafés and … making an income through such means is not appropriate.
He adds “Promoting and teaching music, and assembling music classes, despite the fact the music might be halal (solvent), it is not compatible with the goals of the establishment” and “Listening to female singers that are mainly full of corrupt matters, is not permitted”. According to these fatwas, dancing for men is “haram” (unlawful) and women dancing for women audiences has been announced as unauthorized. “Wearing ties and other clothes that are considered non-Islamic clothing, where using such dress promotes degenerated Western culture, is not authorized.”
In these fatwas, Khamenei on one hand writes about participating in monastery ceremonies, “One must avoid taking part in such ceremonies and any action that promotes such centers.” And on the other hand issues an order that “One must avoid having any relations with the ‘straying sect’ (referring to the Baha’is)”. In this series that consists of Khamenei’s nearly 500 fatwas in the past few years, there is no mentioning of Khamenei’s ridiculous and false fatwa declaring the nuclear bomb as haram, which the regime continuously refers to in its foreign visits and interviews in order to deceive the international community.
Another political prisoner, Rasoul Bodaqi, who suffers from severe pain in his
head and eye, has also been prevented from receiving medical treatment.
The inhumane condition in prisons, compounded by the ill-treatment of political prisoners serving undetermined sentences, have triggered frequent prison hunger strikes across Iran.
Abulfazl Abedini is one who is staging a hunger strike after his sudden transfer to Karoon Prison on July 27.
Mr Abedini was arrested in February 2010 and sentenced to 12 years with physical torture by the Revolutionary Court in Ahvaz. Mr. Abedini witnessed Sattar Beheshti's torture in prison. Sattar was the blogger who was killed under torture just a few days after his arrest.
- In the city of Boroujen, more than 100 retired workers gathered outside the Social Security Organization building on July 28 protesting that their delayed wages had still not been paid up to six months after their retirement
- In southern Iran, a state-run website reported on July 31 that physicians, nurses and employees of hospitals in the city of Bushehr had also gone on strike in protest at their delayed wages and bonuses.
Khamenei's claim of source of emulation in the past was ridiculed to such an extent that he was forced to name himself the “Source of Emulation for Shiites Abroad”.
“The velayat-e faqih is a branch of the rule of the pure Imams (referring to the Shiite Islam’s twelve Imams), which is the rule of Prophet Mohammad. On issues related to administering an Islamic countries and matters that are related to all Muslims, the opinion of the ruler of Muslims is in priority,” he said in his new series of fatwas.
Khamenei announced the revelation of documents indicating the regime’s corruption and crimes as forbidden and wrote, “Reporting the officials’ injustice… is of no good before the people, and in fact if it causes sedition and corruption and degrades the Islamic government, it is forbidden.”
Khamenei, also writes in his fatwas, “Purchasing, possessing, installing and repairing satellite dishes is not authorized”, “If there are any laws in this regard they must be observed”, “It is vital to avoid viewing films that insult sacred values” and using Internet cafés and … making an income through such means is not appropriate.
He adds “Promoting and teaching music, and assembling music classes, despite the fact the music might be halal (solvent), it is not compatible with the goals of the establishment” and “Listening to female singers that are mainly full of corrupt matters, is not permitted”. According to these fatwas, dancing for men is “haram” (unlawful) and women dancing for women audiences has been announced as unauthorized. “Wearing ties and other clothes that are considered non-Islamic clothing, where using such dress promotes degenerated Western culture, is not authorized.”
In these fatwas, Khamenei on one hand writes about participating in monastery ceremonies, “One must avoid taking part in such ceremonies and any action that promotes such centers.” And on the other hand issues an order that “One must avoid having any relations with the ‘straying sect’ (referring to the Baha’is)”. In this series that consists of Khamenei’s nearly 500 fatwas in the past few years, there is no mentioning of Khamenei’s ridiculous and false fatwa declaring the nuclear bomb as haram, which the regime continuously refers to in its foreign visits and interviews in order to deceive the international community.
Executions and mistreatment of prisoners soars following June
election
According to the Iranian resistance NCRI Aug. 2nd, executions have soared and conditions in
prisons drastically worsened following Iranian regime’s June presidential
election, according to reports from inside the regime.
Political prisoner Ahmad Daneshpour Moqaddam is now said to have lost 30kg and be in critical condition since his arrest on December 27, 2009.
His father Mohsen Daneshpour, mother Mottahareh Bahrami and wife Raihaneh Haj Ibrahim Dabagh were all arrested on the same day and transferred to Evin Prison.
Then 18 days later, officials said the entire family - who have relatives in Camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq - had been sentenced to death, before announcing the sentences for the wife and mother had been commuted to 15-year and ten-year sentences each. Last week political prisoner Masha’allah Hamid Haeri - jailed for 15 years in December 2009 - was secretly transferred to Gohardasht Prison, Karaj, after spending 74 days in the solitary confinement in Tehran’s Evin prison.
Mr Haeri 58, a political prisoner from the 1980s and father of a Liberty resident, is now said to be suffering from severe heart and blood illnesses. He was sent several times to a hospital, but each time was returned to prison without receiving treatment.
Political prisoner Ahmad Daneshpour Moqaddam is now said to have lost 30kg and be in critical condition since his arrest on December 27, 2009.
His father Mohsen Daneshpour, mother Mottahareh Bahrami and wife Raihaneh Haj Ibrahim Dabagh were all arrested on the same day and transferred to Evin Prison.
Then 18 days later, officials said the entire family - who have relatives in Camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq - had been sentenced to death, before announcing the sentences for the wife and mother had been commuted to 15-year and ten-year sentences each. Last week political prisoner Masha’allah Hamid Haeri - jailed for 15 years in December 2009 - was secretly transferred to Gohardasht Prison, Karaj, after spending 74 days in the solitary confinement in Tehran’s Evin prison.
Mr Haeri 58, a political prisoner from the 1980s and father of a Liberty resident, is now said to be suffering from severe heart and blood illnesses. He was sent several times to a hospital, but each time was returned to prison without receiving treatment.
The inhumane condition in prisons, compounded by the ill-treatment of political prisoners serving undetermined sentences, have triggered frequent prison hunger strikes across Iran.
Abulfazl Abedini is one who is staging a hunger strike after his sudden transfer to Karoon Prison on July 27.
Mr Abedini was arrested in February 2010 and sentenced to 12 years with physical torture by the Revolutionary Court in Ahvaz. Mr. Abedini witnessed Sattar Beheshti's torture in prison. Sattar was the blogger who was killed under torture just a few days after his arrest.
More strikes across Iran at unpaid wages and financial
incompetence
- At the Haft
Tapeh sugar Cane factory in Ahvaz, more than 500 staff went on strike
from July 29, demanding an end to the atmosphere of oppression that has reigned
in the factory since the last strike of 2007, and in anger at handing the
site’s residential units to the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).
- In the city of Boroujen, more than 100 retired workers gathered outside the Social Security Organization building on July 28 protesting that their delayed wages had still not been paid up to six months after their retirement
- In southern Iran, a state-run website reported on July 31 that physicians, nurses and employees of hospitals in the city of Bushehr had also gone on strike in protest at their delayed wages and bonuses.
Three prisoners sentenced to hand amputation or lashes
Iranian resistance NCRI announced on Aug.
1st that the head of the Iranian regime’s
judiciary in southern city of Abadan has sentenced a man to hand amputation.
He has also been sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment and 99 lashes for
alleged financial crimes. The state-run Mehr news agency, quoted Nematollah
Behroozi on Wednesday, July 31 that also a woman working with him had been
sentenced to 74 lashes and two years imprisonment for financial crimes and 99
lashes for alleged adultery.
Another man working with them had been charged with 74 lashes and two years imprisonment, the report said.
Another man working with them had been charged with 74 lashes and two years imprisonment, the report said.
******
According to HRANA News Agency, July 31st there is no information about Maryam Shafi Pour’s
condition after three days of being under arrest. Hrana added: Maryam
Shafi Pour, the former student of Qazvin international university who was arrested
on Saturday July 27, has had no telephone contact with her family yet. She has
been arrested after being summoned to branch 2 of Shahid Moghaddas court in
Evin and transferred to ward 209 afterwards. The agents have gone to her
father’s home to take some of her properties with themselves which has caused a
nervous shock to her mother. Maryam Shafi Pour had been sentenced to 1 year of
suspended prison in 2010 by the revolutionary court of Qazvin.
Iranian regime’s websites were shutdown
Web.com, parent
company of domain name registrar Network Solutions, revealed that it has shut
down three Iranian websites due to the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human
Rights Act of 2012.
In its SEC filing, the company details three organizations that Network Solutions originally sold domain name registrations to from 1999 to 2002, which later renewed their domain names. One is an agency of the Iranian government and the two others appear on the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.
Network Solutions locked and deprovisioned the three domains on May 14, 2013. It also placed a transfer lock on the domains. That means that the domain names will eventually expire and the organizations will not be able to renew them through Network Solutions. It seems they’d have to re-register them when they expire.
The three organizations are Valfajr 8th Shipping Line Co SSK, which was designated as an SDN in 2008 (vesc.net); the Iran Marine Industrial Company, which was designated as an SDN in 2012 (sadragroup.com); and the Islamic Republic of Iran Meteorological Organization (“IRIMO”), which Web.com believes is an Iranian government organization (irimet.net).
Web.com noted that the registrations were prior to its acquisition of Network Solutions. It is implementing more controls to prevent similar registrations in the future.
In its SEC filing, the company details three organizations that Network Solutions originally sold domain name registrations to from 1999 to 2002, which later renewed their domain names. One is an agency of the Iranian government and the two others appear on the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons.
Network Solutions locked and deprovisioned the three domains on May 14, 2013. It also placed a transfer lock on the domains. That means that the domain names will eventually expire and the organizations will not be able to renew them through Network Solutions. It seems they’d have to re-register them when they expire.
The three organizations are Valfajr 8th Shipping Line Co SSK, which was designated as an SDN in 2008 (vesc.net); the Iran Marine Industrial Company, which was designated as an SDN in 2012 (sadragroup.com); and the Islamic Republic of Iran Meteorological Organization (“IRIMO”), which Web.com believes is an Iranian government organization (irimet.net).
Web.com noted that the registrations were prior to its acquisition of Network Solutions. It is implementing more controls to prevent similar registrations in the future.
