Dr. Mohammad al-Sulami, a Saudi journalist, with a Ph.D. in Iranian studies, vast expertise, and knowledge in questions concerning Iranian politics, commented recently that the expansion of the Islamic Republic of Iran should not be seen as a strength. According to Dr. al-Sulami, it is a sign of weakness.
Reuters have reported that the Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives plan to vote as soon as mid-November on a 10-year reauthorization of the Iran Sanctions Act. This news, told by congressional aides, could provoke a “potential showdown with the White House and Senate”.
The Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), due to expire on 31st December, allows trade, energy, defense and banking industry sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile testing.
IRGC brigadier Mohmmad Ali Jaafari, head of the IRGC, gave a speech during a ceremony for the IRGC members that have been killed in Syria. He once again insisted that the dispatch of a large number of forces to Syria is necessary. He said that killing the defenceless people of Syria is “defending the sanctity of the leader and revolution”. He also said that the “armed struggle of the Islamic revolution beyond Iran’s borders is a very big and divine blessing that not everyone will have”.
In the English edition of Asharq Al-Awsat, Eli Lake wrote an article about Hillary Clinton and her private scepticism and concerns about the Iranian regime.
Hillary Clinton allegedly said after the 2013 elections in Iran that Hassan Rouhani had only won because it was allowed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has reported that several of their representatives attended the annual Forum 2000 Conference in Prague. Also in attendance were numerous political and religious leaders, prominent social figures and human rights defenders from around the world.
Actor Reza Kianian was one of the pioneers of the social media campaign I am Lake Urmia with his iconic post “If we save our lake, we will save ourselves.” And his words are supported by scientific evidence – a 2014 study revealed that 14 million people may be in danger if Lake Urmia continues to dry out, and many are facing serious health concerns already.
Public suicides in Iran could be the ultimate protest against a bitter dictatorship and rising societal problems.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has documented three such public suicides, in an article about the staggering suicide rate.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) have reported that Ahmad Montazeri, the son of Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri (former Deputy Supreme Leader and Khomeini’s nominated successor at the time) was tried in the Special Court for Clerics (SCC) in Qom on Wednesday 19th October for publishing the audio recording of his father speaking to the “Death Commission” in 1988.
On Friday 21st October, the mayor of Rotselaar city in Belgium Mr Dirk Claes, spoke at a meeting of the Belgian Committee of Parliamentarians and Mayors for a Democratic Iran.
He said that his main reason for speaking at the meeting was to remember the 1988 massacre, a crime against humanity, in which 30,000 political prisoners were killed on the orders of Ayatollah Khomeini. Most of those who died were PMOI (MEK) members, many of whom were serving prison sentences – some who were due to be released imminently. These people were buried in mass graves and their families did not know where to go to grieve for them.
