Spring of freedom

By Mansoureh Galestan The United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran has had his mandate extended for another year, after a 22-7 vote in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Friday. Javaid Rehman, 32, a Pakistani-born British legal scholar and professor of Islamic law, was appointed to the position in July 2018 submitted his latest report on Iran to the UNHCR on February 27, when he voiced particular concern over the death penalty in Iran. Rehman asked the Iranian authorities to provide him and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights with a list of all child offenders on death row. He also gave special attention to the crackdown on labour rights in Iran. Esmaeil Baghaei Hamaneh, Tehran’s representative to the European headquarters of the UN, called the resolution an unfair, dishonest, and unjustified plan devised by “certain governments” and argued that it would reinforce stereotypes about the Iranian Regime. He said: “It is saddening th...

Bipartisan senators and senior former American officials joined Iranian Americans at a Senate briefing to embrace the promise of a free Iran. Nowruz, as it’s celebrated around the world, demonstrates Iran’s rich cultural roots and shows us that the future of Iran always belongs to its people.” — Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) WASHINGTON, DC, USA, March 19, 2019 / EINPresswire.com / -- Bipartisan senators and senior former American officials joined senate staffers and members of the Iranian-American community at a Senate briefing to embrace the promise of a free Iran. The event, which also included the celebration of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, hosted sitting senators and staff members from both sides of the aisle. Distinguished personalities delivered remarks, including former senator Joseph Lieberman, former National Security Advisor General James Jones, former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and former Assistant Secretary of State Lincoln Bloomfield, Jr. The Senat...

Flash floods cause devastating damage in Shiraz While heavy floods have devastated several regions in Iran and the people cannot hold back their anger at the lack of relief and the role of the authorities in destroying the country's infrastructure - which have greatly contributed to worsening the consequences of this natural disaster – Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and other repressive bodies are mobilized to prevent popular protest movements instead of rescuing the affected population. At the same time, the regime is trying to hide the real number of victims. The Deputy Commander of the State Security Forces, IRGC General Ayoub Soleimani, said today: "Ensuring security is our most important task in the devastated areas (...) The deployment of fixed and mobile patrols, with the collaboration of Bassij (militia) and IRGC, as well as the installation of checkpoints in many places, are measures that must be taken with all the necessary means to prevent crimes and possible da...

Iranian regime president Hassan Rouhani  In his Persian New Year speech on March 1, Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei described economic difficulties as the most important and imminent of all and said: “The economy is the country’s imminent and most serious problem with the highest priority.” Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, on the other hand, while recognizing the economic crisis, ridiculously blamed problems from past decades as the root of the current fiasco. Fearing the growing popular discontent and misery and in an attempt to save face and pump hope and enthusiasm into their desperate bases, Iranian officials continued their quest of empty promises and blaming foreign forces and their opponents in the ruling elite. On March 2, Iranian state-run television quoted Khamenei as saying: “While referring to senior governmental officials’ reports about the ongoing process of coming up with solutions to counter the sanctions, the Islamic Revolution Supreme Leader...

Flood covers 2/3rd of Aq-Qala (City north of Iran), due to poor regime emergency services, that could have diverted the water flow away from the city-March 22 Two provinces in northern Iran are suffering from  devastating floods  due to days of rain and snow in the region. Nine deaths have occurred so far in three provinces, with one more person still missing. Mazandaran and Golestan Provinces have experienced severe destruction due to flooding, and more rain is forecasted on Sunday. Northern Iran is a popular destination for Nowruz because of its forests and greenery, so the flooded region is full of Iranians using their holiday to visit family members. The Iranian New Year, which is usually an occasion for celebration, has turned to a time of grief. FLOODING IN GOLESTAN According to state-run media reports, roads leading to 70 villages in Golestan have been flooded. 20 villages in Golestan Province have been forced to evacuate. Mojtaba Jamali, the Director Gen...

Maryam Rajavi's speech at the New Year celebration On Thursday, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), delivered a speech at the New Year celebration event of the Iranian Resistance along with members and supporters of the PMOI/MEK. Following is the text of her speech,  orignially posted on her website : Happy New Year to the people of Iran who refused to lose hope even under the oppressive and dark rule of the mullahs. Congratulations to my compatriots in all cities and villages across Iran and to Iranian across the world on the advent of the Persian New Year 1398, Congratulations on Nowruz to the families of martyrs, to the resistance units, to supporters of the Iranian Resistance, to political prisoners, to members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, to  PMOI  freedom fighters and to  Massoud Rajavi . Congratulations on the year of uprisings, the year of hope and exhilaration, and the yea...

PMOI-MEK members in celebrating Nowruz, the Iranian calendar new year The Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) celebrated Nowruz, the Iranian calendar new year (the year 1398), along with their supporters and many distinguished guests. Iranian opposition President  Maryam Rajavi  of the National Council of Resistance of Iran ( NCRI ) welcomed the new year and delivered a speech analyzing the past 12 months and providing a perspective for the year ahead. Mrs. Rajavi iterated the problems that different segments of the Iranian population are facing, including teachers, workers, farmers and more. “In the final moments before the turn of the year, we are standing with Iran’s workers whose table spreads are empty. We are standing beside the farmers whose farms are dry and dehydrated. We are standing with the honorable teachers of Iran who are discriminated against and humiliated, who have been doomed to live under the poverty line, and wh...