Internet Access Smoother In Iran After EU Sanctions

MI5 Director General, Ken McCallum said Wednesday that except Russia and China, the Islamic Republic is a “mounting concern.”

During his annual threat update in Thames House, London, he underlined that Iran is a state actor which most frequently crosses into terrorism.

“Iran projects threat to the UK directly, through its aggressive intelligence services. At its sharpest this includes ambitions to kidnap or even kill British or UK-based individuals perceived as enemies of the regime,” added McCallum.

He went on to say that UK authorities have discovered at least 10 “potential threats” since January to “kidnap or even kill British or UK-based individuals perceived as enemies of the regime.”

Some UK politicians have demanded a tougher stance toward the clerical government in Tehran.

Elsewhere in his remarks, McCallum noted that “We work at pace with domestic and international partners to disrupt this completely unacceptable activity. The Foreign Secretary made clear to the Iranian regime just last week that the UK will not tolerate intimidation or threats to life towards journalists, or any individual, living in the UK.”

The UK summoned Iran’s ambassador last week as the regime is accused of threatening journalists working in Britain. The UK-based Iran International TV network said last week that two of its journalists had recently been notified of the threats.

In a statement Volant Media, the parent company of Iran International, said “The Metropolitan Police have now formally notified both journalists that these threats represent an imminent, credible and significant risk to their lives and those of their families. Other members of our staff have also been informed directly by the Metropolitan Police of separate threats.”

Speaking about the recent protests in Iran, UK’s top domestic security chief stated the regime is resorting to violence to silence critics who are asking fundamental questions of the totalitarian regime. However, he raised hope that this could “signal profound change, but the trajectory is uncertain.”

The current protests in Iran, which started in mid-September after Mahsa Amini, a young woman was killed in the custody of ‘morality police’, have lasted nearly two months, the longest and most serious challenge to the Islamic Republic, which has one of the largest trained and well-equipped suppression machines in the world.

So far, security forces have killed more than 340 protesters, according to human rights monitors and arrested an estimated 14,000 people. Just during protests on Wednesday around 10 protesters and bystanders were killed.

During his Wednesday comments, McCallum also blamed Iran as a regime that with its proxies, remains a profoundly destabilizing actor in its region and beyond, adding that the Islamic Republic provides support to Russia, including by supplying the drones inflicting misery in Ukraine.

The Iranian squad – nicknamed Team Melli – met with President Ebrahim Raisi hours before departing for Doha, irking many Iranians who did not expect the players to be so blithe about the current uprising across the country. They have been heavily criticized on Twitter since the meeting. 

During the nationwide protests on Tuesday, people also set fire to a government banner of the national team. 

During the past few days, Iranian legendary striker Ali Daei and outspoken star Ali Karimi, who has been charged in absentia for supporting the protests, said they rejected invitations by Qatar to watch the World Cup matches. 

Declining the invitation, Ali Karimi told President Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in a letter released on Tuesday that “As you know, the people of Iran are currently going through a very difficult time. The international media largely ignores our struggles. Right now, there are more important issues for me than Football and I want to be with my people and be their voice.” 

During a press conference earlier on Tuesday, national team coach Carlos Queiroz claimed the players are free to join in the protests while they are playing at the World Cup in Qatar but must do so within the rules of the tournament. 

“You express yourself in football according to those principles and values. Everybody has the right to express themselves,” he said. 

Addressing a reporter who asked about the current situation in Iran, Queiroz said, “You guys are used to kneeling in the games and some people agree, some people don't agree with that, and in Iran it's exactly the same, but it is out of question to think that the Iran national team is suffering any sort of issues like that, the players only have one thing in mind, which is to fight for that dream to be in the second round.” The Iranian national team has failed in its five previous World Cup appearances to reach the second round.

Queiroz was asked whether he was proud to coach a country that repressed women. In a terse retort, the coach asked the reporter how much he would pay him to answer the question, before adding the reporter should think about the issue of immigration in the UK first.

The Iranian government is extremely worried about protests by fans or even players during the games and wants to make sure people will not see any manifestations on satellite TV. The state broadcaster can always cut away during live matches.

It is most probably for this reason that the Qatari government has denied accreditation to Iran International’s journalists from traveling there to cover the World Cup. 

Although FIFA has issued ID cards for our correspondents, the Qatari interior ministry denied accreditation.

Last month, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed concern over possible problems that may happen during the FIFA World Cup, tacitly referring to people chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic during matches or players making statements about the situations in Iran. Earlier in November, he tasked the Foreign Ministry to contact Qatari officials regarding the issue to find ways “to predict and prevent possible problems."

Team Melli players covered up their national team badge when they played two warm-up internationals in September, which was interpreted as a sign of support for the protests, but other national teams and athletes have been more vocal and direct in their support for the protests. 

In less than a month, the pace of the athletes showing support for the protests has accelerated as the Iranian football, beach football, waterpolo, basketball, and sitting volleyball teams refused to sing along with the anthem, which is customary in almost all international competitions. Now with the biggest sporting event on the horizon, the regime is resorting to whatever it can to stifle the voices of dissent. Authorities have made serious threats against athletes and other celebrities to stop them from public displays of solidarity with protesters but to no avail.

Russia has procured drones from Iran that have been used to attack cities and power infrastructure in Ukraine.

Iran has acknowledged that it had supplied Moscow with drones but said they were sent before the war in Ukraine.

"As we have demonstrated repeatedly, the United States is determined to sanction people and companies, no matter where they are located, that support Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in the statement.

"Today's action exposes and holds accountable companies and individuals that have enabled Russia's use of Iranian-built UAVs to brutalize Ukrainian civilians," she said.

The US Treasury Department, in a statement, said it imposed sanctions on the Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center, which it said was subordinate to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, accusing the firm of being responsible for the design and production of Shahed-series drones being used by Russian forces in Ukraine.

Also designated were United Arab Emirates air transportation firms Success Aviation Services FZC and iJet Global DMCC, which the Treasury accused of collaborating with an Iranian firm under US sanctions to coordinate flights between Iran and Russia, including those tied to transporting Iranian drones.

Treasury said the action against the two companies was taken in cooperation with the government of the United Arab Emirates.

Tuesday's move freezes any US assets of those designated and generally bars Americans from dealing with them.

Reuters report

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Tuesday there is no doubt that the Iranian regime is brutally repressing its own people.

Speaking at the opening of the 8th World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Berlin, Baerbock stated there are reports that Iranian regime has issued the first death sentence against a person who took part in the protests after the death of Mahsa Amini, “who simply wished to live in freedom like many others.”

“The Islamic Republic is threatening many more protestors with the death penalty, underlined the German minister.

On Sunday, a Revolutionary Court in Iran issued the first death penalty against a protester and another court sentenced five others from five to 10 years in jail each.

Baerbock hailed the decision to impose sanctions on Iranian officials on Monday saying the EU sanctions were put in place to target those who are responsible in Tehran.

“We see with great concern how authoritarian regimes use the death penalty to repress political opponents more and more,” she noted.

“They are not carrying out the death penalty for severe crimes such as murder – but they are using it against people simply expressing their feelings such as who they love, people expressing their opinions or celebrating freedom and life, for example with music and dancing,” she underlined.

Iranian security forces have killed at least 340 people including 43 children and 25 women during the ongoing protests.

In a video message on Tuesday, he expressed solidarity with Iranians, saying he joins the international calls for the Islamic Republic to immediately stop the abduction of protesters and to release all political prisoners, many of whom require urgent care.

“I've been in awe of the courage the Iranian people have shown, particularly the brave women and girls as they fight for their freedom. The Iranian people's fight is about more than a headscarf. It’s a fight for basic rights: the right to speak, assemble freely, appear unveiled, to realize their dreams... for themselves and their children. The right to a future they can chart,” added the former president.

Addressing the Iranian nation, Clinton noted the world is witnessing their courage adding, “we will stand with you for as long as it takes to achieve your freedom.”

He also addressed the international community, stressing that “the Iranian people need us. They want to be part of our global community.”

Calling Iranians “educated, highly industrious, creative, and sophisticated,” he said they want normal relations with the West, so they deserve to be supported.