Rallies Continue In Iran As Judiciary Indicts 1,000 Protesters

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a tweet, "We condemn the excessive violence of the security forces and stand by the people in Iran. Our EU sanctions are important. We are reviewing further steps."

"I am shocked that people who are peacefully demonstrating at protests in Iran are dying," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Islamic Republic’s foreign ministry spokesman Naser Kanaani described the condemnations over Tehran’s handling of popular protests as “intervention” in the country’s “internal affairs” and slammed Germany’s plans to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity.

Kanaani added that the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) is an official military organization of the Islamic Republic and sanctioning it would be “a totally illegal act.”

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Sunday that her country and the European Union were examining whether to classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization for its use of violence in the protests.

Also on Monday, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced that Ottawa is imposing additional sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations. This is the fourth package of sanctions imposed by Canada against the Iranian regime in response to its ongoing gross and systematic human rights violations and continued actions to destabilize peace and security.

In an interview with former State Department advisor Aaron David Miller Monday, Malley said media had failed to reflect the approach of the Biden administration, which had been “much broader” than its 18-month efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).

Malley repeated his previous apology for a tweet October 23, which he noted had been attacked by some Iranians in the US as “diminishing the demands of the protestors.” The special envoy also referred to “some attacks against Iranian Americans…particularly against women…[that had been] been borderline threats, harassment, sometimes in a very sexualized way.”

Malley who has many opponents in the American Iranian community for his perceived weakness toward the clerical regime, praised the protesters and condemned the “gut-wrenching violence” violence against women and girls by the government.

An online petition launched by activist Masih Alinejad last week asking President Joe Biden to replace him has received more than 117,000 signatures.

Malley said that he understands the community’s emotions at this sensitive moment, seeing the struggle by the people in Iran and government’s violent response.

Defending the Biden administration’s handling of JCPOA talks,on hold since September, Malley said there was “no long-term sustainable solution other than a diplomatic one” to block Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an aim Tehran denies.

But the White House envoy insisted that while engaged in the nuclear talks, the US had also been “pushing back” against Iran’s “proliferation of drones, missiles, its interference in other countries, its attacks against some of its neighbors…” This had been both through US sanctions, Malley said, and through other actions including military strikes “on at least two occasions against Iranian-affiliated militia in Syria.”

In one attack in August, the US reportedly killed six militants from a militia group it said had launched drones targeting the al-Tanf American garrison in the south-east of the country. Such actions had taken place “regardless of whether the nuclear negotiations are succeeding or not,” Malley said, “…regardless of whether there is a JCPOA or not…”

Malley insisted that US policy towards Iran was within a worldwide dimension: “The president made this clear, not just about Iran, but about our global policy, which is to put human rights and the defense of human rights back at the center of our foreign policy.”

Malley was pressed by the interviewer Miller over the limits to “transformative uses of American power.” Miller cited as lacking “much success” the US role in the ‘Arab Spring,’ the largely failed Middle East uprisings of 2010-12, Washington’s military interventions including Iraq, and its support to the “Sunni opposition” – against President Bashar al-Assad – in Syria.

“Our policy [with Iran] is not one of intervening to try to foment regime change,” Malley replied, arguing the US role had to be “very realistic” as well as “very ambitious.” He cited Washington’ removal of the threat of punitive action under US sanctions against technology and Internet companies dealing with Iran. He said there would be “more sanctions” against Iran and that the US would initiate “more steps in international forums.”

According to reports, Farhoud was arrested by the security forces at his home Sunday morning, and there has been no information about where and why he was taken. 

The renowned scientist had earlier criticized the Islamic Republic for its violation of women's rights.

Earlier this year, Farhoud criticized the regime’s plans to ban pre-natal screening and legal abortions, describing them as violations of human rights. He called them a backward move to 200 years ago. 

The government's population and family planning policies include a ban on contraceptives, vasectomy and tubectomy, and prenatal screening for genetic abnormalities and congenital diseases.

Moreover, the parliament has passed legislation to outlaw tubectomy, vasectomy, and the free dispensation of contraceptives other than where pregnancy would threaten a woman's health. The health ministry has advised women over 35 to wait only a year before becoming pregnant again and under-35s to wait six months.

Medical experts have warned that the new legislation would also increase sexually transmitted diseases by restricting access to condoms.

Earlier in the year, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said efforts to increase the country's population are among the most urgent duties and essential policies of the Islamic Republic.

Foreign ministry spokesman Naser Kanaani in his weekly briefing on Monday said that the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) is an official military organization of the Islamic Republic and sanctioning it would be “a totally illegal act.”

“Statements by German officials about sanctioning the IRGC, following unconstructive and irresponsible actions by this country, emanates from their wrong approach toward the government and people of Iran,” Kanaani claimed. He added, Iran “hopes that Germany and other countries who have a plan in this regard, will pay attention to their unconstructive actions and not sacrifice their bilateral relations to passing political issues and emotional decisions.”

Iran’s security forces have killed at least 270 citizens since protests broke out in mid-September when a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini was killed in ‘morality police’ custody. The government has deployed tens of thousands of regular IRGC troops, its Basij militia and plainclothes agents to attack protesters. Thousands have been arrested and more than 1,000 already indicted for participating in demonstrations.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Sunday that her country and the European Union were examining whether to classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization for its use of violence in the protests.

"I made it clear last week that we will launch another package of sanctions, that we will examine how we can also list the Revolutionary Guards [IRGC] as a terrorist organization," Baerbock said in an interview with ARD broadcaster on Sunday.

The IRGC is already listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and Tehran tried hard during the long nuclear negotiations in 2021 and 2022 to have Washington lift the designation. The Biden Administration called such demands extraneous to the nuclear talks.

The negotiations have paused since August over Iran’s demands, which are unacceptable for the United States. When Tehran adopted its position in response to an EU draft proposal, protests had not started and now it finds itself in more international isolation than two months ago.

US and Albania have also proposed an informal UN Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in Iran. The format of the meeting is called the “Arria formula”, after its originator, Diego Arria, a Venezuelan ambassador who in 1992 initiated the first informal meeting of the Council to discuss the crisis in former Yugoslavia. The meetings take place in a non-rigid setup where member states can hear comments by individuals and non-state actors.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman on Monday dismissed the significance of the meeting and claimed that the aim of the meeting is to put “political pressure on the Islamic Republic,” and is the continuation of a clear policy of interference by the American government in Iran’s internal developments.”

Kanaani criticized the US for planning to ask Iranian expatriate activists to testify during the informal Security Council meeting, calling such individuals “known elements” with Iranian identity, who in the past never raised their voice against US sanctions.

The spokesman again repeated Iranian denials about supplying military drones to Russia used against civilian targets in Ukraine. Kanaani said that Tehran has never supplied weapons to the warring sides. The denials come as the United States and others have raised strong objections to the deployment of mostly suicide drones and Ukraine has produced evidence obtained from downed UAVs.

In a statement on Monday, New Zealander Minister Foreign Nanaia Mahuta said the decision sends a strong signal that bilateral approaches on human rights were not tenable with the Islamic Republic, which has been denying basic human rights and violently suppressing protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was arrested by the so-called morality police for attire deemed inappropriate.

She said, “Violence against women, girls or any other members of Iranian society to prevent their exercise of universal human rights is unacceptable and must end. This is clearly a difficult time for the people of Iran.”

Tehran and Wellington had established the dialogue in 2018 with the stated hope of advancing human rights issues and concerns, and held the first round of talks in 2021. The next round of negotiations was scheduled to take place later in 2022.

Last week, New Zealand’s officials confirmed that two New Zealanders, who had been detained in Iran for a number of months, had been released and were safe. The New Zealand government also last Wednesday updated its travel warnings for Iran and urged New Zealanders currently there to leave.

Amid nationwide unrest and widespread arrests, several foreigners visiting Iran have disappeared, confirming earlier reports that the Islamic Republic is taking foreign citizens hostage.