Spring of freedom

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...

Hundreds of retired army personnel are rallying on Tuesday despite the facade of promises and pledges by the Iranian regime.  Numerous cities across Iran witnessed a variety of protest rallies on Tuesday. In the town of Varzaneh of Isfahan Province, central Iran, hardworking farmers took to the streets once again, protesting the policies of Iranian regime authorities rerouting local river waters for government and Revolutionary Guards ( IRGC ) projects. These initiatives are leaving locals deprived of any water for their lands. Farmers continuing their rallies in Varzaneh, central Iran The farmers were seen marching in the streets of Varzaneh and chanting slogans against the regime. “[Iranian regime President Hassan] Rouhani, you liar; what happened to our Zayanderud?” referring to the local river. “The water of Zayanderud is our sovereign right.” In the northern city of Rasht, clients of the Caspian credit firm, known for its association to the IRGC, r...

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. (Reuters) The human rights situation has been deteriorating to an unprecedented level in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This highlights the empowerment of the hard-line judiciary system and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) under the so-called moderate administration of President Hassan Rouhani.  Specifically, several groups have become the Iranian regime’s targets. The first category is linked to religious and ethnic minorities, including the Arabs, Kurds, Azeris, Baluchis, Sunnis, Christians and Baha’is. The situation has become so alarming that the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, recently  urged  Tehran to “ensure that all those who reside in the country have equal protection before the law, regardless of ethnicity, religion or belief.” It is important to point out that the Islamic Republic is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This means...