Free Republic

On June 19, Iran Launched 7 medium-range ballistic missiles targeting ISIS in Syria. The same day a US Navy Super Hornet shot down a Syrian Su-22. On June 20, a USAF F-15E blasted Iranian Shahed-129 armed drone out of the sky. The drone was shot down as it advanced toward the coalition-backed rebel outpost of At Tanf, near the southern Syrian border. In addition, Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, in a speech, harshly attacked the US and posted hostile tweets. “That US arms a terrorist group is what causes instability. Who created #ISIS? The US!... That the US joined the anti-ISIS...

On Friday September 9, the last 280 members of the exiled Iranian opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MeK) in camp liberty, left Iraq safely for Europe. 14 years of heroic resistance and countless international efforts by thousands of Political dignitaries and Parliamentarians all over the globe, for security and protection of the residents of camp liberty resulted in a victorious resettlement that enjoyed international congratulations. Camp liberty hosted approximately 3,000 Iranian political refugees who are the symbol of hope and courage to young people in Iran. The fundamentalist regime, ruling in Iran provided extensive financial...

Three years into the tenure of Hassan Rouhani who himself and many in the West promised to be a “moderate” and “reformist” poised to bring about change in Iran, we have only witnessed an unprecedented spike in human rights violations, including horrendous public floggings and especially executions. Overt 2,400 executions in the past three years is the report card Iran and Rouhani carry, with Amnesty International and many other international human rights organizations registering Iran sent nearly 1,000 people to the gallows in 2015 alone. Various religious minorities, including Arabs, Baha’is, Christians, Jews and others have also been targeted...

One day after declaring there is no military solution to Syria, U.S. President Barack Obama recently announced the deployment of 250 more special operations forces for the fight against Daesh (the Arabic acronym for the self-proclaimed Islamic State, or ISIS). This new troop deployment will be missioned to advise and assist local fighters, and beef up 50 other such troops on a similar mission in the past few months. This move comes after an escalation of violence in the strategic city of Aleppo where the Assad regime has intensified its lethal airstrikes, bringing a drastic end to the UN-brokered cessation...

Some may consider the status quo as a good period for the oppressive dictator in Iran. With U.S. President Barack Obama generously relieving most sanctions under the nuclear deal, the mullahs have jumped to the opportunity for saber-rattling by test launching ballistic missiles, caring less about violating numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions. Tehran has with the utmost temerity humiliated America by capturing its sailors and provoked emotions through firing unguided rockets at a dangerously close range from U.S. ships. Despite all this, President Hassan Rouhani is on a campaign to convince the West Iran is actually a wise place...

Plans by Russia to pullout forces from Syria delivered a strong message to Bashar Assad, who recently took a major hardline position. Moscow announced an end of its military intervention in Syria as a success story from its own point of view, not Assad's. This, and other important factors, have accelerated peace efforts in Geneva, posing Assad as the "persona non grata", even for Russia. Not In It For The Long Run Undeniable is the fact that Russia, along with Iran's proxies, helped relieve Assad of definite overthrow at the hands of Syrian opposition forces closing in fast. Russian...

As predicated, the elections in Iran turned into a definite failure despite extensive vote riggings started days before the elections day. Iranian officials had claimed a 65 to 75 percent turnout but it appeared to be nothing but their usual hoopla. They have also prepared the task force to handle the vote rigging to announce such figures which they term "Election Engineering". Looking back to the previous elections result announcements, reveals the well-known Iran's manipulating method that multiplies the actual votes by a certain constant then broadcasting the number several times the real voter turnout. Behind these public absurd...

Iran's Parliamentary election besides voting for the Expert Assembly, a fresh cohort of religious scholars, will take place on February 26. There is a misconception particularly on behalf of the Western media and states that these election are the competition scene of moderation against extremism within the regime. This totally absurd illusion is encouraged by Iran and its advocates. This misguided perception demonstrate either a lack of knowledge of the situation in Iran and the Iranian regime or and more probably an effort to detour the barrier of humanitarian values to have business with a dictatorship in charge of...

The so-called "Implementation Day" in the nuclear agreement sealed between the international community and Iran had a number of side-effects, with the release of four Iranian-Americans signaling the most important. These four innocent people were swapped for 7 Iranian regime elements held in detention in America. While this made a lot of noise in the United States and raised major criticism against the Obama administration, it is actually nothing new to those familiar with Iran's "hostage industry". The names of these four prisoners released on Saturday are Christian convert Pastor Saeed Abedini, former U.S. marine interpreter Amir Hekmati, Washington...

Why Did Iran Take Captive and Release U.S. Sailors So Quickly? The capture of American sailors in Persian Gulf waters by Iran should have provided the regime in Tehran a desperately needed opportunity to flex its muscles. However, the entire incident ended in the utmost humiliation for the regime. The times have changed, and Iran can no longer take on such adventures, such as the capture of over a dozen British sailors and hold them for long periods. Iran has suffered strategic defeats in many different aspects, from the nuclear dossier, to Syria , Yemen , Iraq .While Iran...

A major conference held in New York on Friday, December 19th raised hopes for the future of the deadly civil war in Syria coming to a final end. However, Iran is the only party left out actually concerned over its interests gone with the wind after such extensive strategic capitalization and secret war in the Levant and its vicious dictator Bashar Assad. Seeking to find a solution for the crisis in Syria, various parties involved in this conflict - including the Syrian opposition - joined the top diplomats of 20 different countries in this third international meeting on Syria, after...

After years of lying and deceiving the international community, the United Nations nuclear watchdog issued a significant report placing the spotlight on Iran seeking to obtain nuclear weapons. While there are arguments over how long Iran actually went down this path, with various reports referring to 2003, 2009 and now even beyond that, it should not be forgotten that Iran has lied all along and claimed of never seeking the mother of all weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA) has now confirmed that Tehran actually had a nuclear weapons program and continued its efforts in this regard at least...

Ever since the Russian military launched its various airstrikes and ground activities in Syria all experts have warned of the possibility of provoked or unprovoked clashes. The recent downing of a Russian Su-24 fighter jet by Turkish F-16s must be evaluated through a regional perspective, and not a mere dispute between two countries. This incident has the potential to involve the entire North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as many members of the powerful bloc have expressed their support behind Ankara. However, the most critical result of this significant change of events is the very important message received by Iran. Turkey is...

The horrific scenes of ISIS attacking Paris brought us all to realize that the clear and present danger of the 21st century is none other than Islamic fundamentalism and extremism. Unfortunately, it reminded Americans of 9/11, Londoners of 7/7 and Madrid residents of the horrific 2004 metro bombings. It also acted as a wakeup call for people across the globe about how vulnerable our way of life is at the hands of fanatics that can easily cause havoc even in the leading capital of Europe. All these attacks were the works of one single enemy: Islamic fundamentalism and extremism. And...

Two United Nations human rights experts joined voice in warning Iranian authorities on the arrest, prosecution and harassment of journalists and online activists. Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, and David Kaye, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression also demanded safe space for freedom of expression as Iran is heading for general elections next February. What makes it all the more interesting is that these calls are being made upon a regime led by Hassan Rouhani who claims of leading efforts for change in Iran and preparing to visit Europeans eager for Iran’s...

If the international community is serious on the drive it made to bring an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, it should now target the ayatollahs’ atrocious human rights dossier with a much stronger resolve. This is the Achilles Heel Iran is extremely sensitive about and has made it a red line in any and all international talks. International community should urge Iran’s rulers to allow Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, to enter the country. Ever since Dr. Shaheed has been mandated by the world body to report on Iran’s concerning human rights...

Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) has arrested a number of families of PMOI (MEK) and former political prisoners early this week. Shaqayeq Azimi, 22, one of the PMOI members whose parents Mahmoud and Fatemeh Ziae were amid the detainees of October 11, has launched a worldwide campaign to pursue her beloveds’ fate. In a meeting of the British Parliamentary Committee for Iran Freedom on human rights in Iran at the UK House of Commons on October 19, 2015 via the internet, She described her torment after hearing the news. Shaqayeq has been unable to obtain any information about where her...

Less than three weeks remaining to the June 30 deadline set for the P5+1 to reach an agreement with Iran in negotiations over its nuclear program, tens of thousands of Iranian exiles from across the globe rallied on June 13 raising their voice in protest to the regime in Iran. Over 600 prominent international dignitaries from 69 countries joined the gathering in Villepinte near Paris in support of Iranian opposition calling for regime change in Iran. The keynote speaker of this gathering was Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the umbrella opposition body composed of...

Paris – As the June 30 deadline approaches for a final nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, Iranians from all over the world overcrowded Villepinte Hall on Saturday June 13. They were Iranians from all walks of life with different tendencies, gathered in an annual meeting staged by National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The crowd wore Blue- colored shirts and stayed applauding the speakers for hours, featuring burning desire for freedom and democracy and demonstrating their desperate to topple the ayatollahs in Iran. Hundreds of figures and MPs from the US, Europe, Canada, Australia and the Middle...

Ever since assuming office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama has had an affinity to tackle problems in respect to the Iranian regime through rapprochement and appeasement. This approach has manifested itself in giving unwarranted concessions to Tehran regarding its nuclear program and its regional ambitions, and ignoring the chaos and mayhem caused by the Iranian regime in the region. Obama thinks such tactics will eventually lead to the resolution of the problems that are riddling the Middle East. The reality is, the continuation of this failed policy will inevitably cause the exacerbation of the turmoil and possibly lead to...