Iran’s Judiciary Releases Ex-Official Sentenced To 31 Years For Bribery

An Iranian hacktivist group, called 'Lab-Dookhtegan' or Read My Lips, shared with Iran International exclusive information about the activities of the company, identified as ‘Tik’, sharing the photos and identities of several senior members of the company. 

According to the group, the company has provided training on missile and drone production and their control systems to Hezbollah and Russian forces on several occasions this year.

The group also provided a list of the company’s senior executives, including CEO Rasul Sirati, his deputy Hamidreza Daneshi-Kohan, Kianoosh Morovatipour, the technical engineering manager of the company, Mohammad-Ali Razavi-Kohani, in charge of the assembly line and Heshmat Parsaifard, responsible for training Hezbollah forces.

The names of the cover companies used by the IRGC to evade sanctions are being revealed gradually, creating a crisis for the Islamic Republic. 

Earlier in June, the Israeli research center ALMA identified the Iranian scientists behind the Shahed 136 drones used by Russia in its war on Ukraine. A report exclusively obtained by i24NEWS identified two civilian companies in Tehran that manufacture components for the Shahed drones and are reportedly operated by the IRGC. 

The company Shakad Sanat Asmari, also called Chekad Sanat Faraz Asia, manufactures parts for the Iranian aviation industry and its former CEO Ehsan Rahat Varnosfadrani is the company's chief scientist. Daria Fanavar Borhan Sharif (Sadid Sazeh Parvaz Sharif) is the other company, specializing in communication, optical, and electronic circuits, and Ehsan Imaninejad is its CEO. 

Pundit Jaber Rajabi told Iran International that the main reasons that Russia is using Iranian-made drones are their cheap prices and the fact that Moscow wants to have an accomplice in its invasion. 

He said the Islamic Republic has spent three decades developing its military technology but since it cannot manufacture airplanes and jets, it has to focus its energy and assets on missiles and drones. 

Political analyst Mehdi Mahdavi-Azad told Iran International that the issue of Iran’s drones and missiles had not been very grave for the West until Russia started to use them. He believes that before the Russian invasion, Europe and the United States were not seriously concerned about the Iranian missiles because their range is not more than 2,000 kilometers, therefore not reaching Europe's borders.  

Mahdavi-Azad said the regime cunningly has not worked on long-range missiles to avoid worries by the Europeans. However, Reuters reported on Wednesday that European diplomats have told Iran they plan to retain EU ballistic missile sanctions set to expire in October under the defunct 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a step that would provoke Iranian retaliation. 

Only hours after the report was released, Alireza Sabahifard, the commander of Air Defense Force of Artesh, Iran's traditional Army, said, “This year, the production of advanced long-range radar, missile and drone systems is on the agenda of the Air Defense Forces of the Army.”

Iran’s supply of drones to Russia for use in its war on Ukraine has been condemned by the US and its NATO allies and met with sanctions by the US, European Union and other states.

In April, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a procurement network, which consisted of Iran’s Pardazan System Namad Arman (PASNA) and the entity's front companies and suppliers in Iran, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China that Washington said have enabled PASNA's procurement of goods and technology.

In March, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control coordinated with the FBI to designate four other firms – including the Iran-based Defense Technology and Science Research Center and its procurement firm Farazan Industrial Engineering Inc -- and three people in Iran and Turkey for allegedly buying equipment, including European-made engines, to be used for the regime’s drone and weapons programs.

In a message published by Radio Farda, the Persian Service of Radio Free Europe in Prague, Mohammadi demanded to stop the "cruel violence against the university students".

She said: "The brutal attack and threat against the universities can spark a fresh round of protests."

According to Mohammadi, the Islamic Republic is "boasting of secret, discredited and shaky negotiations with Western governments", but the protests of students and people in Iran are "a powerful and resonating echo of the word 'no' to religious authoritarian rule".

The smashing of a student's head on the stairs by a security guard at Allameh University of Tehran this month is just one example of the violence against pupils over recent months.

Earlier, dozens of students at Tehran University of Arts were arrested after protesting the mandatory wearing of the veil.

Meanwhile, there have been several reports of increased pressure on students at various universities, even in dormitories, due to new rules on dress code, even for male students.

At the end of her message, Mohammadi asked the international human rights forums, feminist organizations, writers, and academicians of the world to "not allow the suffering society of Iran to witness another crackdown like the one in 1999".

The Kuye Daneshgah Disaster in July 1999 was one of the most widespread and violent public protests to occur in Iran since the early years of the Iranian Revolution.

During the attack, according to reports, at least six students were killed, and hundreds of people arrested following student protests against the banning of several newspapers.

At the beginning of the protests after the killing of Mahsa Amini in police custody, Karim Bagheri wrote on his Instagram page: "In these difficult days, I and my colleagues have a duty to stand with the people because we belong to them."

He also threw his weight behind his peer Ali Karimi, who is now one of the prominent opposition leaders, saying “Ali Karimi is neither a traitor nor a defector, but an honorable patriot… What have you done for these people except talking nonsense and insulting their heroes?”

It was in February that the judiciary blocked the bank account of Bagheri after he urged Iranians to make donations to the victims of the Khoy earthquake in Iran.

Mizan, the news agency of the judiciary, said the account was blocked because he had not requested a permit. The judiciary claimed celebrities’ charity drives in the past had “resulted in crimes such as fraud”.

He is the latest sporting star to be given biting punishments for supporting the wave of protests across the country which began in September.

Persepolis FC midfielder Milad Sarlak has been given a 20-per cent salary cut and a travel ban while this month, the security institutions forbid footballer Javad Nekounam from becoming the head coach of Esteghlal football club. The IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency claimed the former captain of the national team was “pardoned by the Supreme Leader” after expressing remorse over "past mistakes".

In court, their participation in the legal gatherings of teachers was branded "collusion against the system" by judges.

The authors of the statement, referring to Article 27 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the freedom of peaceful trade union gatherings, asked the judge and the agents involved in issuing the verdicts to "reconsider their decision for these honest teachers as soon as possible."

They said participation of teachers in such events is in line with "improving the state of education" as a necessary thing for "the growth of the society and the progress of the country".

They further called for "the revocation of the unjust verdicts and their acquittal in the appeals court".

The eight were among 26 teachers from Fars province who in May last year were detained during the union protests on the charge of "gathering against national security".

The arrest of teachers and transferring them to jails in different cities has escalated after they protested to condemn chemical attacks on schools and poisoning of female students, as well as the non-payment of salaries and arrears.

Two men publicly burned the Quran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, an act approved by a Swedish court.

It was deliberately timed to coincide with the significant Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, further magnifying the incident's significance.

Urging the European country to take responsibility and address the issue seriously, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said: “Creating a platform for the repetition of sacrilege against celestial sanctities, especially during the sacred days of the Islamic world and the gathering of millions of Muslims at the world congress of hajj, is a provocative, unacceptable act.

“Insulting heavenly scriptures is a manifestation of violence, hatred, and contrary to the fundamental values of human rights," disregarding the regime's systematic oppression of women and minorities under its own jurisdiction and its generally appalling human rights record.

Some 200 onlookers witnessed one of the two protesters tearing up pages of a copy of the Koran and wiping his shoes with it before putting bacon in it and setting the book on fire, while the other spoke into a megaphone.

Some of those present shouted "God is Great" in Arabic to protest against the burning, and one man was detained by police after he attempted to throw a rock.

Meanwhile, Morocco recalled its ambassador to Sweden late Wednesday to protest the desecration.

Turkey’s foreign minister also criticized the move saying it is “unacceptable to allow anti-Islam protests in the name of freedom of expression”.

Burning religious texts is "disrespectful and hurtful", the deputy spokesperson for the US State Department told reporters in a daily briefing as well. "What might be legal is certainly not necessarily appropriate," Vedant Patel said.