Regime Change in Iran Will Not Need War

By NCRI Staff

NCRI - Regime Change in Iran does not require foreign military intervention, according to a human rights activist.

Shahriar Kia, a member of the Iranian opposition (PMOI /MEK), wrote an op-ed for Riyadh Daily in which he explained why international sanctions against the Regime would be much more effective than a costly war.

He wrote: “The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) is this regime’s Achilles Heel and weak point. If comprehensive and immediate sanctions truly disarm the regime of this lever and expel the IRGC from the Middle East, the pillar protecting Iran’s religious dictatorship in the face of popular uprisings and international crises will crumble.”

The IRGC is the Regime’s personal terror squad and is responsible for quelling political opposition, oppressing the Iranian people and eliminating dissidents. They played the active role in the execution of over 120,000 political prisoners since 1979.

They are also the key figures in Tehran’s warmongering and the export of terrorism.

Kia wrote: “The IRGC was behind the crackdown campaigns of Iran’s 1999 and 2009 uprisings, and the oppression of Iran’s religious and ethnic minorities, including the Kurds, Iranian Arabs in Ahvaz and Baluchistan.”

They are also in charge of the Iranian Regime’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile drive, and the country’s economy.

Kia wrote: “To this end, the IRGC has become this dictatorship’s political, strategic and economic guardian.

Despite all this, warmongering and exporting terrorism is of the utmost importance for Tehran and the IRGC has monopolized such a role.”

The IRGC is a destructive force in the Middle East, fuelling sectarian strife and exporting terrorism. They do this because the Iranian Regime is so scared of being overthrown that they have to weaken the countries around them.

Kia wrote: “If Iran actually enjoyed stability and power there would never be any need to resort to terrorism.

Exporting terrorism and instigating sectarian wars, considering the heavy political price on the international stage and isolations, would never be in Tehran’s interest if it enjoyed stability at home. Meddling in other countries is aimed at cloaking the crises that currently endanger the mullahs’ entire existence.”

The Regime is unstable, dislike by its people, and is essentially on the edge of a cliff. That is why regime change is necessary but Kia stresses that sanctions against the IRGC who control so much of Iran, will prove fatal to the mullah’s Regime.

He wrote: “Following the adoption of a new Congress sanctions bill – signed into law by President Donald Trump – targeting the IRGC and designating this entity as a global terrorist, all the articles of this initiative must be implemented immediately and without any loopholes.”

He continued: “For regime change in Iran, there is no need for war or military intervention by a foreign state. The international community needs only to end its appeasement, economic deals, and concessions to Tehran, which is literally maintaining this dictatorship in power. The Iranian people and their organized opposition are fully capable of realizing this change.”

Iranians to Protest Rouhani UN Visit

Thousands of Iranians joined by their supporters will gather in New York City to protest Iranian regime president Hassan Rouhani’s presence at the United Nations General Assembly, and call for regime change in Iran.

Association of Iranian Americans in New York (AIAINY), a member of the Organization of Iranian American Communities-US (OIAC), said in a statement that the 3-day program includes a September 20, 2017 rally outside the U.N. headquarters as well as street acts and a photo exhibition to commemorate the anniversary of the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran.

The rally will call on U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley to refer the 1988 massacre dossier to the U.N. Security Council, the statement by the group said.

Protesters will urge the international community to evaluate Rouhani on his deeds, not his deceptive demeanor or words. They will emphasize the ever-escalating discontent in Iran.

According to the regime’s own officials, some10 million Iranians struggle with addiction and around 18 million people live below the poverty line. Yet on December 31, 2015, Rouhani ordered his armed forces, “to quickly and significantly increase their missile capability.”

The statement by the group added: “Parallel to the regime’s ballistic weapons program and terrorism across the Middle East, the number of executions in Iran has skyrocketed during Rouhani’s presidency.”

“In July 2017 alone, at least 100 Iranians were executed. Individuals who served in his previous administration, and those now being picked as ministers, not only perpetrated the current barbarism, but also had a major role in the mass executions of 1988. His choice for Justice Minister for the last 4 years, Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi, was a member of Tehran’s infamous “death commission.” He was replaced this term by Alireza Avaie, who was directly involved in the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran’s Khuzestan Province.”

“Rouhani’s deeds are indeed an affront to modern civilization and highlight the abject failure of Western appeasement policies vis-à-vis Iran. While applauding the growing international awareness of Rouhani’s contempt for democracy and human rights, and his unsavory role in the growing instability in the Middle East, Iranian Americans will emphasize that regime change in Iran is imperative and achievable, not by means of outside military interference, but from Iran’s own people and their organized Resistance, which is fully prepared to facilitate that change.”

Human Rights Violations Will Prove Fatal to Iran Regime

By NCRI Staff

NCRI - The Iranian Regime is a ticking time bomb and ever-present protests from the Iranian people are just speeding up the countdown, according to a human rights activist.

Heshmat Alavi wrote an op-ed on the plight of Iranian political prisoners on hunger strike for Forbes in which he identified human rights as the Regime’s Achilles Heel.

Their complete disregard for the rights of the Iranian people will prove their downfall, more so than the nuclear weapons programme or their meddling in the Middle East.

The supposed moderate, President Hassan Rouhani, who pledged to improve human rights (both in the 2013 and 2017 Presidential campaigns) allowed over 100 executions in July alone. During his first term, he had nearly 4,000 people executed.

Hunger Strike

In late July, dozens of political prisoners (mostly supporters of the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)) were forced to move to a new section in Gohardasht (Raja’i Shahr) prison, in Karaj, west of Tehran, where conditions were described as “suffocating” by Amnesty International.

Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director for Amnesty International, said: “The horrendous conditions at Raja’i Shahr prison point to a pattern of cruel and inhumane treatment that has repeatedly characterized Iran’s ruthless attitude to prisoners in its custody.”

They are deprived of:

• clean, drinking water; even the water purification devices that prisoners purchased at their own expense have been confiscated

• food

• adequate beds

• fresh air and sunlight, with metal sheets covering the windows

• contact with family members

• privacy, with CCTV and listening devices in all areas including bathrooms

Alavi wrote: “Such situations leave no conclusion possible other than the authorities’ intention to completely cut off these political prisoners from the outside world. Officials also seek to restrict, to any extent possible, any information leak regarding their regular ordeals in Raja’i Shahr.”

As a result, 22 prisoners are now on hunger strike. Some of the hunger strikers were forced into solitary confinement as punishment for their peaceful protest.

Many of the hunger strikers desperately require medical treatment in hospital but the prison warden is refusing to authorise such transfers.

Still the hunger strikers will not give up and they are indeed being joined by other political prisoners around Iran.

Alavi wrote: “Iranian authorities have human rights commitments they are obligated to live up to. Yet detaining prisoners of conscience by the dozens following completely unfair trials is this regime’s response in honouring these commitments.”

He concluded: “This case brings to light how these protest acts, such as hunger strikes launched by political prisoners inside the regime’s own jails and rallies witnessed across the country, enjoy important influence. The ruling elite in Tehran continues to seek effective measures to counter such movements.”

Risky Business With Iran Regime

NCRI - US President Donald Trump recently signed a bill named “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act”, or the CAATSA. The subsequent attention drawn to it by the media and public focused on objections to the sanctions that effect Russia.

Very little attention, however, was drawn to one of the provisions that could have serious consequences for American company Boeing. If the company completes the sale of dozens of aircraft to Iran, it could create serious legal liability for itself.

Iran is one of the worst terrorist states in the world, but Boeing has attempted to justify the deal it made for the sale of aircraft by saying that the government of the United States has certified that Iran is sticking to its end of the nuclear deal.

President Trump has criticised his predecessor’s treatment of Iran and with good reason. Former President Obama’s policy of appeasement with the hope of bringing moderation to the regime was a complete failure which just gave the Iranian regime free reign to spread terror even further across the region.

The Trump administration really needs to use the CAATSA to put an end to Iran’s belligerence. There is no denying that Iran is heavily involved in terrorist activities and the involvement of the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is obvious. The CAATSA now means that the IRGC will be listed as a SDGT (Specially Designated Global Terrorist) organisation.

Because of this, any US companies doing business with the IRGC and its Qods Force will be carrying out a criminal act.

This is how Boeing could be severely affected by the CAATSA. The Boeing deal is with Aseman Airlines and its CEO is Hossein Alaei. Alaei has been a high up member of the IRGC for decades.

It is also known that the Iranian regime uses commercial flights for purposes linked to its terrorist activities (i.e. sending supplies, military personnel, arms, etc. to warzones). In the past few years alone, the US imposed several sanctions on Mahan Air because it was transporting members of the IRGC to and from Syria and was also sending weapons for the Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad’s forces. It was also found to be sending weapons to the notorious Lebanese Hezbollah group.

It is time for the international community, including companies like Boeing, as well as foreign governments, to realise that terrorism has made its way through so much of the Iranian government and its major companies that it is not worth the risk to bring business or investment to the Islamic Republic for as long as the situation continues like this.

Iran Regime Ignores the Demands of the Pensioners

By NCRI Staff

NCRI - The Coordinating Council of Iranian Educational Organizations referred to the rough treatment of Iranian authorities towards the retirees, announcing that the retirees did not achieve favorable results through constant negotiations with government and Parliament. The authorities have only given them nothing but false promises.

The Coordinating Council on Tuesday, August 29 released a statement in support of the retirees, stating that they have no other choice rather than protesting against their situation so that their demands to be fulfilled. This Council also regretted to announce that the authorities did not treat the retired people quite well especially by giving them false promises although the retirees spend their life on raising awareness and training people in the society.

The statement also reads, "The pensioners have been persuing their rights through various means such as consultation, signing petitions, and rallies for many years. They expect a quiet life without any preoccupation as well as the most basic rights any citizen shall have."

The Coordinating Council in the statement raised demands concerning the increase of salary and receivables of the pensioners. The reports indicate that the retirees are more dissatisfied with their welfare and livelihood conditions in recent years.

Meanwhile, the government officials have been giving false promises to increase the pensions. On August 22, hundreds of Educational retirees and other government organizations staged protest in front of the Parliament of Iran. The protesters called for the law enforcement on the equality and promotion of insurance services.

The protesters were holding placards on which was written, "The poverty line is 4 million Tomans ($1200) , our Salary is 1 million Tomans ($300)", "Fighting against corruption and embezzlement, legal security, and welfare of retirees" , "We will keep on demanding as long as we are below the poverty line, until the realization of our rights".

The protester also chanted slogans of "Never seen the nation to bear this much of injustice", “The imprisoned teacher shall be released, Esmail Abdi shall be released." It is noteworthy that Esmail Abdi was the member of the board of Teacher's Association who was charged with endangering security. He is currently serving time in prison.

IRAN: More Than 20 Political Prisoners in Grave Danger in Gohardasht Prison After More Than 30 Days of Hunger Strike

By NCRI Staff

NCRI - Over the past few weeks, political prisoners in Iran’s Gohardasht Prison have been protesting against the intensified suppressive measures in the facility. The inmates’ hunger strike has garnered wide support by political prisoners throughout the country.

In recent months some of the prisoners had smuggled out letters describing the inhuman conditions at different prisons. Some called for justice for the families of political prisoners executed by the Iranian regime, including the 30,000 victims of the 1988 massacre. The regime has responded with further crackdowns.

In late July, political prisoners in Ward 4, Hall 12 of Gohardasht Prions were transferred to unbearable conditions in Hall 10, which is completely isolated and constantly monitored by 40 closed circuit cameras and 64 listening devices. All windows are sealed with metal plates, preventing any ventilation, and the hall lacks clean running water,
Prisoners had previously stated that if the transfer went ahead they would go on hunger strike, but on Sunday, July 30, more than 50 individuals were forcibly transferred. They were not allowed to take personal belongings, including medicine.

There are currently about 25 prisoners on hunger strike demanding their return to Hall 12 and the return of all personal belongings.

After four weeks, the physical condition of many participants has become seriously dangerous. They can barely walk and are suffering from heart, lung, and kidney ailments while being deprived of all medicine.

Abbas Jafari- Dolatabadi, the Prosecutor General of Tehran, who is currently on the EU sanctions list for gross and pervasive violations of human rights, said on August 23, "We say to some prisoners who go on hunger strike and make other threats that these actions have failed, and the judiciary will not surrender."

His remarks highlight the regime’s lack of respect for the minimum rights of prisoners, while also hinting at further threats. Nonetheless, other prisoners have declared their solidarity or joined the hunger strike.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran has expressed grave concern over the health and security of political prisoners on hunger strike. It has been calling on all international human rights organizations, especially the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur of Human Rights in Iran, and the Special Rapporteur on Torture to take urgent action to save their lives.

Supporters of the resistance have shown support with worldwide rallies and their own symbolic hunger strikes.

On August 23, Amnesty International issued a statement regarding “Mass hunger strike by political prisoners in protest at inhumane conditions. Amnesty International’ s Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director said: “By detaining dozens of prisoners of conscience after grossly unfair trials the Iranian authorities are already shamelessly flouting their human rights obligations. These are people who shouldn’t even be behind bars in the first place, yet instead of being released from custody they are being punished further by being held in appalling conditions.”

Governments and international organizations should intervene in defense of the political prisoners and their legitimate demands before it is too late.

What Can Be Done to Stop Iran Regime's Belligerence?

By NCRI Staff

NCRI - President Trump has greatly criticised the Iran nuclear deal and it is easy to understand why. When we look at what has happened in the past two years, it is clear that nothing positive has come from it. Some say that it has slowed Iran’s progress towards being nuclear armed, but we do not know if this is true or not because inspections to nuclear sites are limited.

Over the past two years, human rights abuses inside Iran have worsened. As has the regime’s rhetoric against the West. There have been many incidents in which Iran is trying to provoke Western nations, such as approaching US Navy vessels.

It is because of the threats and provocations made by the Iranian regime that we can see why President Trump is not following in President Obama’s footsteps regarding appeasement and concessions.
Officials in Iran have tried to discourage Trump’s crackdown (such as the recent bill named “Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017”). They claim that such acts are a violations of the 2015 nuclear deal.

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran has said that Iran will not hesitate to restart, and then escalate, its enrichment of nuclear materials. This has been echoed by other officials of the regime too, showing that the country’s nuclear plans never halted.

The Iranian opposition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), revealed two months ago that Iran’s missile program is escalating, therefore showing the nuclear threat is indeed real. They provided many details about missile sites they had identified. They also were able to show that the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research is in charge of weaponisation with regards to the nuclear program.

However, this information is just confirming what many have said for years.

Nevertheless, this should not take attention away from the other abuses carried out by the Iranian regime. It is involved in extensive terrorist activities across the Middle East and is continuing to supress the people at home. Human rights abuses are escalating and executions are still taking place at an alarming rate.

The situation will not improve until some concrete action is taken by the international community. The IRGC needs to be removed from all the countries where it is involved so that the West, and its allies in the region, are safe.

The people of Iran also need to be supported. It is an international responsibility to ensure that every human being has at least the most basic of human rights. They have suffered for decades and deserve support.

IRAN: Protesters Demand Their Deposits From IRGC-Affiliated Credit Institution

NCRI - Hundreds of people who have not been able to withdraw their deposits from Caspian credit institution staged a protest gathering outside the regime’s judiciary office in the capital, Tehran, chanting angry slogans, on Sunday, August 20.

The protesters were shouting “Death to Seif”, referring to the Central Bank governor, Valiollah Seif.

During recent months, there have been many similar protests against Caspian credit institution in other cities, as well.

On Sunday, protestors also gathered outside a branch of the institution in city of Neyshabur in northeastern Iran.
Similar protest also held on Saturday, 19 August, in city of Rasht.

The defunct IRGC backed Caspian Credit Institute, founded in 1990s claiming to be a local low-interest-rate loan fund, attracted thousands of investors by paying higher interest rates but later failed to fulfil its promises.

There are hundreds of similar funds are active across Iran but the regime has failed to regulate them.

The foremost demand of the protesters is to take back their money siphoned off by the IRGC-aligned institution.

Many people across the country had trusted Caspian credit institution enough to decide to invest there, as its name had been listed in Central Bank’s official website as an authorized institution. Therefore, investors say that they can no longer trust the Central Bank.

A Look at Iran's Hospitals and Quality of Their Services

NCRI - As part of each country’s infrastructures, hospitals and quality of their services indicate in some ways how developed each country and its healthcare services are. In Iran, however, hospitals and the quality of their services are in a horrible state, a fact acknowledged by regime’s own officials as well.

A serious problem in this regard is related to hospital buildings. Many of Iran’s hospital buildings have fallen into disrepair, so much so that in some cases there’s a danger of them collapsing so that it would be quite unsafe to stay inside. The situation is so terrible that even regime officials and media are forced to acknowledge parts of this reality.

“Many hospitals built over the past years lack even the basic structural design requirements. Many of them were not supposed to be hospitals, but are now used for presenting healthcare services. Well, it’s no surprise to see them lacking even the least engineering standards for hospitals”, confesses Amir Saki, Construction Manager in Rouhani’s Healthcare Ministry, in his interview with state TV last month

Also in this regard, a member of regime Parliament’s Social Committee ‘Mohammad Vahdati’ pointed out in his interview with Parliament’s news agency that many of country’s healthcare centers and hospitals have reached the end of their useful life years ago, adding “unfortunately, most hospitals are dilapidated and their renovation is an absolute necessity. Besides, such healthcare centers lack the necessary safety measures.” (Parliament’s news agency, June 28, 2017)

Earlier, regime’s Deputy Healthcare Minister ‘Mohammad Aghajani’ had said “60 percent of our hospitals are in a state of disrepair, which should be regarded as a serious threat.”

The critical conditions of Iran’s dilapidated hospitals are despite the fact that Iran is a natural-disaster-prone country, with more than 90 percent of its population being subject to earthquake and widespread flooding.

Regime’s Health Minsiter ‘Seyed-Hassan Ghazizadeh-Hashemi’ recently acknowledged that the capital’s hospitals are not resistant to earthquake. While confirming the minister’s remarks, Homayoun Hashemi, member of Parliament’s Healthcare Committee, pointed out that the studies show that many public hospitals date back to 1950’s and 60’s, adding “renovation of such hospitals must be put on the agenda as soon as possible. Besides, many of such hospitals need to be completely wrecked and rebuilt.” (Parliament’s news agency, August 14, 2017)
In addition to dilapidated hospitals, the conditions of hospital beds are also not appropriate, so that many of them are out of service.

“We are short of 46 thousand hospital beds”, says Health Ministry’s Construction Manager ‘Amir Saki’, adding “and of the available beds, 50 thousand are out of service, meaning we need somewhat between 90 to 100 thousand hospital beds so we can replace the outdated ones and develop our healthcare services. (Regime’s Khabar TV network, July 14, 2017)

The average age of a hospital bed in developed countries, European ones for instance, is 7-10 years. In Iran however, with age of hospitals being 35 and higher, hospital beds are in such terrible conditions that even regime officials have been forced to acknowledge part of this mess. Currently, Iran is ranked among the lowest in the Middle East in terms of the number of hospital beds, with its situation being catastrophic even compared to such countries as Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

While Iranian patients have to spend their times of illness in such places, the mullahs’ regime is plundering country’s wealth, pouring them right into the pockets of regime leaders and officials or spending them over regime’s warmongering policies and exporting terrorism and reactionarism to regional countries.

Qassem Suleimani Expresses Anger Over Indifference of Iranians Toward Regime's Rhetoric

NCRI - The commander of the Iranian regime’s Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, Major General Qassem Suleimani, has acknowledged the Iranian regime’s failure in mobilizing the youths for dispatching them to Syria to fight in support of Assad regime.

Speaking on the occasion of “International Day of Mosques” Suleimani warned that “the cultural invasion today is more complicated” than ever and urged that more attention be made to the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s warnings in this regard.

“Today, the confrontation with the cultural invasion is more complicated and more unstable than yesterday, and the demands of leadership (Ali Khamenei) should be taken into consideration in this regard”, Suleimani said, according to a report by the state-run ISNA news agency published on Sunday, August 20, 2017.

The commander of the terrorist Quds Force expressed his anger over the growing “indifference” to the regime’s rhetoric among the Iranian people and warned about its consequences.

He said: “Who is responsible for the growth of indifference in the country? Have we all been doing our job? We should know that we should not just keep our own front. If this is the case, other fronts will fall. The mosque is a base and has an impact on the whole society. The one who fails to keep his soldiers, his line has fallen.”

Suleimani described the mission of mosques in Iran training of “defender of the shrine” a reference to those being dispatched to fight against the Syrian people.

Facing difficulty to dispatch Iranians to fight in Syria, IRGC’s Quds Force has coerced tens of thousands of Afghan refugees in Iran – many of them minors –into fighting in Syria. They were threatened with deportation if they refused.

ITUC Calls for Immediate Release of Iranian Labor Prisoner

NCRI - International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) General Secretary Sharan Burrow, has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Reza Shahabi, a member of the board of directors of Iran’s Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (UWTSBC).

Burrow, while referring to what she has described as years of torture and inappropriate treatment of Shahabi behind bars, reiterated, “[Reza] the labor rights activist was on medical furlough but Tehran’s prosecutor-general refused to extend his parole.”

According to the letter, written to Iran regime's President Hassan Rouhani, Reza Shahabi was forced to return to the Rajai Shahr (Gohardasht) prison in Karaj, where he found that the time he spent on medical leave was considered as “absence” and his jail term has been extended for another 968 days.

In a statement published on August 12, UWTSBC condemned Shahabi’s extended prison term.

ITUC Secretary-General also wrote that Mr. Shahabi joined the hunger strike that was already started in Rajaii Shahr prison in protest to the “inhumane condition” of the prison.

Sharan Burrow noted that imprisonment of Reza Shahabi is in contradiction with Iran's international obligations.
“Keeping Reza Shahabi behind bars is against Iran’s international commitments, which prohibit detaining labor activists who are peacefully campaigning for workers’ rights”.

Earlier, the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) issued a statement expressing their deep concern about the imprisonment of Reza Shahabi.

Also, five labour union syndicates in France condemned Reza Shahabi's arrest called for his immediate release.

Amnesty International has expressed concern about the health condition of Mr. Shahabi.

Kuwait Arrests Another Member of Terror Group With Link to Iranian Regime

NCRI - The Kuwaiti authorities announced on Saturday that they have arrested another member of a “terror cell” with links to the Iranian regime and Hezbollah.

According to the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry, security forces apprehended Abdul Mohsen Jamal Husain Al Shatti on Saturday evening. He had been convicted in absentia and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Kuwaiti security forces announced in the fall of 2015 that 20 tons of weapons and explosives have been found on a farm near Al-Abdali located in Iraq. In this case, 25 Kuwaiti and Iranians were arrested and tried for sabotage, espionage, and ties with Iran and Hezbollah.

Earlier in August, the Kuwaiti interior ministry announced it had arrested 12 members of “Abdali” cell after weeks of manhunt.

The ministry said those have been captured in different areas across Kuwait. They had been on the run since their sentencing last month, while two other convicted Kuwaitis remained at large and an Iranian, Abdulreza Haidar Dahqani, who has been sentenced to death in absentia.

Bill Signed by Trump Targets Iran’s IRGC For Terrorism – For The First Time

Trump signs sanctions bill targeting Russia, Iran

(CNSNews.com), August 3, 2017 – While most attention has been focused on the Russia elements of the bipartisan sanctions bill signed by President Trump on Wednesday, the legislation also – for the first time – targets Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for its support for terrorism.

In recent weeks Iranian officials have warned that naming the IRGC a terror-sponsoring group could lead to violence, with armed forces chief Maj. Gen. Mohammad Hossein Baqeri saying the move “would be a big risk to the U.S. and its bases and forces stationed in the region.”

For years congressional critics of the Iranian regime have sought to have the IRGC punished for sponsoring terrorism, either by being listed as a “foreign terrorist organization” (FTO) or via designation under a post-9/11 tool designed to disrupt funding to terrorists, Executive Order 13224.

In 2007, President George W. Bush designated the IRGC’s external arm, the Qods Force (IRGC–QF), under E.O. 13224 for providing support to terrorists in Lebanon, the Palestinian self-rule territories and Afghanistan.
But he and his successors stopped short of designating the IRGC itself, balking at effectively declaring the armed forces of a sovereign country to be a terrorist-sponsoring entity.

Action has been taken against the IRGC for other activities and under different executive orders – including, most recently, designation by Trump last month under E.O. 13382, which deals with support for weapons of mass destruction proliferation; and under E.O. 13581, which targets transnational criminal organizations.

Iran experts in the U.S. have long argued that the Qods Force and broader IRGC are inseparable, and that there is little point in accusing one of terror-sponsorship but not the other.

The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act signed Wednesday – which imposes sanctions on Iran as well as on Russia and North Korea – makes the same point.
“The IRGC, not just the IRGC–QF, is responsible for implementing Iran’s international program of destabilizing activities, support for acts of international terrorism, and ballistic missile program,” it states.

The legislation instructs the president within 90 days to impose sanctions, under E.O. 13224, against “the IRGC and foreign persons that are officials, agents, or affiliates of the IRGC.”

Strong support for the sanctions came from the exiled Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran ( NCRI ), which advocates regime change in Tehran.
The NCRI called for the legislation “to be implemented immediately, meticulously and without exception and urges the European Union to join these sanctions.”

Beyond sanctioning the IRGC, the NCRI said its expulsion from the Middle East, especially from Syria and Iraq, was “a prerequisite to ending the conflict and crisis that have engulfed the entire region.”

“The terrorist designation and sanctions against the IRGC should have taken place a long time ago since the IRGC protects the entirety of the clerical regime,” it said.
“It also acts as the regime’s main instrument of suppression and export of terrorism and extremism. However, the policy of appeasing the mullahs’ religious dictatorship paved the way for rampage in the entire region by the IRGC and its proxies.”

The IRGC is deeply involved in the Syrian civil war, fighting alongside its Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist proxy to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power.
During the Iraq war, U.S. military commanders blamed the IRGC–QF and affiliated Shi’ite militias for the deaths of some 500 U.S. military personnel.

How Iranian people get around the mullahs' social media censorship

Iran denies its citizens' access to free information

By Hassan Mahmoudi

American Thinker, August 3, 2017 - Social media websites are fantastic tools that allow us to share the joy of fabulous news from friends, family, and neighbors, whether birthday greetings, wishes for the New Year, or thanksgiving.  We are able to sympathize with our companions when they share their sad stories.  We see news stories that can be disturbing, like the Syrian chemical attack, flash floods, blazes in forests, horrors in prisons, violation of human rights...  There is no question about it: advanced smartphone technology has played a key role in shaping the influence of social media.  But unfortunately, this fantastic tool, despite its easy use and access, is not available to all the people of the world.

 Iran is the leading country that blocks its citizens from accessing internet.

In 2014, Reporters Without Borders designated 19 countries as 'enemies of the internet' for actions ranging from social media censorship in Iran to North Korea walling its citizens off from the global web entirely.

Despite the 'enemies of the internet' designation of shame, only six countries actively block social media networks around the world.

#Iran is the leading country that blocks its citizens from accessing internet.  In Iran, the internet and social media apps are heavily restricted and censored, because the government views any form of internet freedom as a threat to its mullah regime.
Iran bars social media and internet, yet it has long been a battleground there between the jubilant Iranians who seek freedom and the authorities who feel they must protect the regime from dangerous influences that could topple it.  Websites and social media have been blocked in #Iran since huge antigovernment protests exploded after the disputed presidential election in 2009.

 Access to the requested website is denied

In the absence of a free and unrestrained press in Iran, users inside the country utilize Twitter to bypass state censorship mechanisms and challenge government narratives aiming at concealing the brutality of the government's violent crackdown on the protesters.  They also use a social media app called Telegram to discuss news and politics.

According to the recent report by the National Council of Resistance of #Iran, as the regime in Iran faces a variety of crises, the deputy public prosecutor said concerns about cyberspace have become extremely worrisome for Tehran.

Iranian regime’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace is focusing on foreign social media websites, banning free access to free information...

Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei is cited in this report as saying, in his usual violent language, that cyberspace is the 'killing ground' of the country's youth, in reality meaning that this is where they learn the truth about the regime ruling #Iran.  The mullahs claim to be concerned about the youth and Islamic values and how cyberspace activities and social media undermine them, but the reality is, they are thinking of themselves.

With all the media assets at its disposal, why can't the regime properly confront this threat?
The truth is that concerns about 'religion and faith' are not the regime's concerns, as its own officials have in interviews acknowledged the fact that improper posts are blocked by Telegram administrators.

'More than 30% of these Telegram channels are involved in criminal activities against the country's security and disrupting the entire nation,' said Iran's deputy public prosecutor, Abdolsamad Khoramabadi.

Of course, the main target of these remarks are the Telegram channels belonging to the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of #Iran (PMOI/MEK).
'[W]e are left incapable on the internet.  The supreme leader has said time and again that this cyberspace is uncontrollable. ... [I]t is unacceptable to have 8,000 orders in this regard and not being able to do anything,' Khoramabadi said.

This official also admits that the MEK will continue its activities even without Telegram, yet this platform has provided the MEK the means to accelerate the pace of its efforts.
In addition to speed, the Iranian people having access to MEK criteria has left the regime terrified.

'The MEK Telegram channel inside #Iran is very active[.] ... [A]ll the regime's opponents are providing the people all their books and written material through this online platform.  If you seek to purchase them, you have to pay huge amounts of money.  If you wanted to publish a book, it would be very demanding, but on the internet, it is quite easy,' Khoramabadi added.

While the Iranian regime can completely block these websites, why has this issue reached the media?

The regime in Tehran is truly facing an impasse in the face of Telegram.  It can't completely block the website, as it needs the platform for its own purposes, and it also cannot block only certain channels.

If Iran blocks Telegram in its entirety, it will come with heavy political and social impacts, leaving this regime facing 40 million angry users.  Furthermore, this will not resolve the entire issue, and these users will most certainly find another platform.
The Iranian regime has time and again negotiated with Telegram's managers to block the MEK website and associated channels, only to be rejected each time.  This has left Tehran facing an impasse.

Either accept the MEK's vast network with all its grave consequences, or pay the ultimate price of blocking Telegram.  The latter would raise even more questions.
Hassan Mahmoudi is a human rights advocate, specializing in political and economic issues relating to Iran and the Middle East.

Trump sanctions set stage for necessary regime change in Iran

Maryam Rajavi: Iranian Opposition Annual Convention in France Calls for Regime Change in Iran

By Ivan Sascha Sheehan,  The Hill, Aug. 4, 2017 - With the president’s signature on H.R. 3364, formally known as the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017, the Trump administration — eager for legislative accomplishments in the wake of the GOP failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act — can take credit for turning the page on failed Obama-era policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The bipartisan passage of the long-anticipated sanctions bill by both houses of Congress allows the administration to take aim at rogue regimes in Iran, Russia and North Korea. Disagreements over U.S. policy toward Russia notwithstanding, the White House can be confident that legislators overwhelmingly support confronting threats emanating from Iran and North Korea and are prepared for even stronger measures to curtail the influence of these dangerous regimes.

The White House should now build on the successful passage of sanctions legislation to push for regime change in Tehran as an appropriate next step.
Trump administration surrogates can remind the American people that the White House first put Tehran on notice for engaging in regional destabilization shortly after Trump took office, pursued comprehensive sanctions targeting Iranian ballistic missile programs and directed the State Department to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization, thereby blacklisting it from the global economy.

Iran expands its terrorist sponsorship in the Balkans

The Balkan and Eastern European countries are targeted by the mullahs regime

The Iranian regime massacred more than 30,000 political prisoners, most of whom were members and supporters of the main opposition group, (PMOI or MEK)

By Pejman Amiri 

AmericanThinker, August 5, 2017 - The U.S. Congress's recent bill of sanctions on Iran mainly cites the Iranian regime's terrorist activities throughout the Middle East.

The recently released Country Reports on Terrorism 2016 by the U.S. State Department says:

Iran continued its terrorist-related activity in 2016, including support for Hizballah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various groups in Syria, Iraq, and throughout the Middle East. Iran used the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps‑Qods Force (IRGC-QF) to implement foreign policy goals, provide cover for intelligence operations, and create instability in the Middle East. Iran has acknowledged the involvement of the IRGC-QF in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria and the IRGC-QF is Iran's primary mechanism for cultivating and supporting terrorists abroad.

Iran and Massacre of 30,000 MEK and Other Political Prisoners

By Jubin Katiraie

 #Iran Focus, August 4, 2017 - The US Senate voted almost unanimously last Thursday to impose new sanctions on #Iran. The legislation cracks down on #Iran’s activities including their missile development programs and human rights abuses. This is the first time that #Iran has been targeted for violation of Human Rights.

The Iranian regime massacred more than 30,000 political prisoners, most of whom were members and supporters of the main opposition group, (PMOI or MEK)

“Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a list of each person the Secretary determines,

‘A freer Iran is on the horizon’

I am so overjoyed by the focus of this conference, the theme of this conference, the hashtag of this conference. #Free Iran.

It’s been a long road, and there is still a few more miles to travel. And the road has been littered by the blood of your sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, relatives and friends. That book contains 20,000. There have been over 120,000 that have been martyred. … So let’s just take a moment to think about them because we wouldn’t be here today without them. We also wouldn’t be here today without the leadership of Madame Rajavi through the difficult times and the good times and the horrible times. She has always remained hopeful that we could stand up and say free Iran.

Imposing New Sanctions on Iran's Clerical Regime and Designating the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as Terrorist Entity, Constitutes an Essential Step in the Right Direction That Needs to Be Completed by Other Measures

The Iranian Resistance welcomes the adoption of a bill by the US House of Representatives, imposing new sanctions on the clerical regime for violating human rights and pursuing ballistic missiles, and designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity. This is an essential step in rectifying the damaging policy of appeasement that needs to be completed by other measures including the eviction of the IRGC and its affiliated militia particularly from Syria and Iraq as well as the recognition of the Iranian people’s right to overthrow the clerical regime.

Iran Regime's Senior Mullah: Those Who Massacred MEK Members Must Be Rewarded

This article dre my attention hope you like it too .

NCRI 

- Ahmad Khatami, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts’ Board of Chairs, in reaction to the Iranian opposition, The People's Mujahidin Organization of Iran’s (PMOI/MEK) annual gathering in Paris which was held on July 1st. In Tehran’s Friday prayers ceremony stated:

“… I want to discuss my first preach, and that is the [MEK rally in France… the sheer fact that they are permitted to hold a rally there is practical support for terrorism…,”.