https://twitter.com/KarmelMelamed/status/1605701433625411585
Posted on 10/08/2022 1:05:38 PM PDT by nuconvert
Iranian Regime national tv Channel One hacked about an hour ago. During a broadcast of Khamenie speech, a red crosshair appeared over his face and chanting of Women. Life. Freedom. There was writing to the side saying "Rise up. Join us". Also 4 photos at the bottom of the screen of young people killed and additional writing: "The blood of our youth is dropping from your paws".
Also, there was a huge banner in the middle of Tehran highway today that read: We are no longer afraid of you. We will fight.
Also, attempted attack on IRI ambassador in Denmark. Her bodyguard was stabbed. Diplomatic Security intervened before the attacker could stab the ambassador.
Yes. Sounds like it.
Iran rations euros as fights break out at foreign-exchange offices amid rial’s plunge to record lows
https://twitter.com/KarmelMelamed/status/1605701433625411585
Iran Crisis Update, February 24, 2023
Iranian regime security forces escalated against prominent Sunni cleric Moulana Abdol Hamid after months of relative restraint while concentrating forces in Zahedan. Abdol Hamid deescalated slightly in his Friday sermon, possibly in response to the regime’s more aggressive security approach. Some clerics within Abdol Hamid’s circle adopted a more aggressive position regarding the regime escalation in Zahedan.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran will sell air defense equipment, such as radars and surface-to-air missiles, to Syria.
At least two protests occurred in two cities across two provinces.
The Iranian rial fell to a new record low, valuing at around 540,000 rials to the US dollar.
Supreme Cultural Revolution Council Secretary Abdol Hossein Khosrou Panah called for establishing a cohesive state-run media apparatus to quickly and efficiently promote regime narratives publicly.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-24-2023
Iranian security forces have surrounded the Makki Mosque of Zahedan in southeastern Iran ahead of Friday Prayers and are beating and arresting Sunni worshippers trying to attend the prayers. In the past 5 months, Zahedani people have held protests every single Friday.
https://twitter.com/IranIntl_En/status/1629033147349274624
Any reaction in Pakistan or Saudi yet?
“Any reaction in Pakistan or Saudi yet?”
Not that I’ve seen, but there should be
Saudi foreign minister meets Zelensky in Kyiv, signs $400 million aid agreements. According to Ukrainian presidential office head Andriy Yermak, Saudi Arabia will provide Ukraine with $100 million in humanitarian aid and $300 million in oil products.
https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1629905604889247744
Hundreds Protest In Iran Over Mysterious School Poisonings
Family members of schoolgirls who have shown symptoms of a mysterious poisoning protested Tuesday outside the office of the governor of the religious city of Qom.
Around 200 students and at least one teacher in 12 different girls’ schools have reported symptoms such as nausea, headaches, coughing, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, and lethargy since November 30 when 18 students of a secondary school fell ill with similar symptoms. Two weeks later 51 students fell ill in the same school again.
The education department had to close all schools in Qom for two days last week after several other schools were affected, causing a public scare. When students returned Sunday after the weekend and a public holiday Saturday, 37 girls in three different schools fell ill again.
In a commentary Tuesday published by Qom News, Nafiseh Moradi, an Islamic studies researcher at Tehran’s Al-Zahra University, speculated that ultra-religious groups with beliefs similar to those of the Taliban in Afghanistan may be behind the mysterious poisonings.
Basij base in Tehran was attacked
“we have set fire to government buildings and Basij bases in Tehran”
video
https://twitter.com/HN2733/status/1629920378599489536
Protest activity in Iran is rising and returning to levels not seen since the end of 2022.
Different regime power centers are arguing with one another over how to address economic issues and trying to deflect blame away from themselves.
The Raisi administration may replace some of its economic managers with figures closely tied to the IRGC financial network to address the economic crisis.
The Raisi administration may be trying to revitalize the nuclear negotiations with the West.
Iran is likely continuing to reinforce its military presence in Syria.
At least one protest occurred on February 25, eight protests on February 26, and 13 protests on February 27.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-27-2023
Iran Crisis Update, February 28, 2023
Regime incompetence and mismanagement is driving further protest activity and popular frustration toward the regime and may unite citizens with disparate grievances.
Iran has intensified efforts to expand its influence over the Iraqi state security services in recent days.
At least 20 protests occurred in 15 cities across 14 provinces on February 28.
The Wall Street Journal reported on February 28 that the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) confirmed the discovery of traces of 84-percent enriched uranium—near weapons-grade—at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant in a confidential report circulated among member states.
The IRGC Aerospace Force and Artesh Air Defense Force conducted an annual “Velayat Sky Defenders” joint air defense exercises on February 28.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-28-2023
Top US Defense official says Iran could produce ‘one bomb’s worth of fissile material’ in ‘about 12 days’
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4134720/posts
Iran’s Islamic Republic is collapsing before our eyes
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4134523/posts
The Iranian regime is tolerating a country-wide, coordinated campaign to poison Iranian school girls.
Social media users documented incidents of chemical poisoning at 26 girls’ schools throughout the country on March 1 alone.[1] Hundreds of Iranian schoolgirls have reported respiratory and neurological poisoning symptoms since November 2022, many of whom have required hospitalization.[2] The first reported incident occurred on November 30, 2022, in Qom City, Qom Province when 18 Shahed Razaviyeh Secondary School students reported experiencing nausea, coughing, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, and lethargy.[3] Initial poisoning cases primarily affected female high school students in Qom. In recent weeks, however, poisoning cases have spread across Iran and have also targeted elementary, middle school, and university students, as well as less frequent incidents at boys’ educational facilities.[4] CTP recorded a significant increase in poisoning cases on March 1, with students from at least 26 schools falling ill. Most poisonings on March 1 occurred in Tehran and Ardabil Provinces.[5] It remains unclear why these cities appear to have been disproportionately targeted.
The regime's failure to protect Iranian schoolgirls from the ongoing poisoning campaign is exacerbating anti-regime sentiments.
Russia is possibly concerned that Iranian-backed militias will target US military positions in eastern Syria in the coming days or weeks.
At least five protests occurred in three cities across two provinces on March 1.
Raisi administration-controlled Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on March 1 that prominent Sunni cleric and regime critic Moulana Abdol Ghaffer Naghshbandi fled the country.
The value of the Iranian rial appreciated to 546,500 against the US dollar.
Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami denied reports that Iran has enriched uranium to 84 percent purity while acknowledging the fact that traces of 84-percent enriched uranium were discovered at one of Iran's nuclear facilities.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed normalization efforts between Turkey and the Assad regime with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on March 1.
Unidentified senior Russian military officials met with their SAA counterparts near Tel Rifaat, Aleppo Province on February 28.
Israel Alma, an Israeli think tank focused on regional security issues, released a report claiming that as many as 1000 alleged Iranian aid convoys have entered Syria from Iraq and Lebanon since February 6.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-1-2023
Iran Crisis Update, March 2, 2023
The Iranian regime has apparently failed to take measures to protect schools following 46 separate reports of chemical poisonings targeting schoolgirls throughout the country on March 1.
The regime is taking short-term measures to address economic grievances that will exacerbate Iran’s economic crisis in the long run.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian gave an interview with CNN on March 1 likely in an attempt to convince the United States to return to the suspended nuclear negotiations.
CTP did not record protest activity on March 2.
Raisi administration officials struck a conciliatory tone on March 2, and stressed the need to address deepening divides between Iranian leadership and its people.
Prominent Sunni cleric and regime critic Moulana Abdol Ghaffar Naghshbandi ‘s family stated in an interview with Radio Farda on March 2 that they are not aware of his whereabouts.
Iranian officials and state-affiliated news outlets reported on increased Russo-Iranian economic ties on March 2.
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued new sanctions targeting Iranian energy exports on March 2.
Bloomberg reported on March 2 that Iran is seeking to obtain S-400 air defense systems from Russia, citing insider sources.
The US Naval Forces Central Command announced that US forces supported a UK-led interdiction of an illegal Iranain weapons shipment in the Gulf of Oman on February 23.
Iraq’s Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee went to Diyala to discuss “security breaches” likely in response to the 20 February massacre of Sunni civilians.
Former Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki is attempting to return to Iraqi politics as a major political actor.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-3-2023
Iran Crisis Update, March 3, 2023
Prominent Sunni cleric Moulana Abdol Hamid suggested that the Iranian regime may be responsible for or complicit in the recent chemical attacks on schoolgirls across the country.
Security forces sustained increased pressure against Abdol Hamid and his supporters for the second consecutive week, which could fuel further sectarian tensions.
President Ebrahim Raisi is expanding his efforts to deflect blame for internal crises onto Iran’s foreign enemies rather than taking personal accountability.
President Raisi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf likely remain divided on how to address and publicly discuss these internal crises.
Iran is trying to consolidate and increase its military presence in eastern Syria, likely as part of an effort to secure critical routes leading deeper into the country.
At least two protests occurred in two cities across two provinces.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-3-2023-0
Iran Crisis Update, March 6, 2023
Over 110 separate student poisonings occurred throughout Iran on March 6. Some have framed these incidents as “mass hysteria.” They are not. Someone is deliberately poisoning Iranian children—we are just not sure who.
Protests erupted in Iraq against the Shia Coordination Framework (SCF)—an umbrella organization for Iran-aligned political parties.
At least nine protests occurred on March 4, at least five protests occurred on March 5, and at least nine protests occurred on March 6.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-6-2023-0
CTP assesses with moderate confidence that the Iranian regime is using the recent chemical attacks throughout Iran to set conditions to securitize the country ahead of major national holidays.
Security forces have responded more violently to recent poisoning-related unrest than they have to recent economically motivated protests and strikes.
Iranian Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Gharaei Ashtiani claimed on March 6 that countries are seeking to acquire the Iranian-made Bavar-373 air defense system, possibly referring to Syria.
At least 20 protests occurred in 17 cities across 13 provinces.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-7-2023
The Iranian regime has validated CTP’s previous assessment that it is using the recent chemical attacks to set conditions to securitize the country ahead of major national holidays.
The regime's threatening posture has not yet deterred protest activity nor silenced the population into compliance.
Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) began constructing 500 prefabricated residential units near Aleppo International Airport on March 6, which the PMF may use to establish long-term housing for its troops.
At least six protests occurred in three cities across three provinces on March 8.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-8-2023
Iran Crisis Update, March 9, 2023
The Iranian regime likely assesses that it is losing its cultural campaign for Iranian women. The regime is determined to win its cultural campaign by intensifying indoctrination efforts, however. President Ebrahim Raisi and other regime officials are focusing on coopting Iranian women rather than addressing the Iranian people’s real concerns.
Several protest groups appear to be trying to challenge regime efforts to securitize Iran ahead of the upcoming national holidays.
At least one protest occurred in one city across one province.
Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian met separately with senior Syrian and Turkish officials ahead of Syria-Turkey normalization talks scheduled in Moscow in the coming weeks.
An OSINT Twitter account posted satellite imagery on March 9 of an Iranian over-the-horizon radar system allegedly deployed to an unspecified location in Syria.
The Iraqi parliament delayed a vote on the Shia Coordination Framework-backed election law.
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-march-9-2023
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
