Politicians, Activists Express Urgency In Fight To Proscribe IRGC

On Wednesday, women were part of a crowd of local spectators cheering on their teams at a football (soccer) match at Sirjan Stadium in Kerman Province between the city's team and Khuzestan's Foulad FC. It was the first time in 44 years that women have been allowed to attend a football match outside of the capital city.

Just days prior, FIFA and the AFC had expressed serious reservations about Iran's persistent exclusion of women from attending football matches. Permitting women to enter the stadium in Sirjan could have been in response to the mounting international pressure, Shargh daily in Tehran reported.

Although the presence of women at the Sirjan Stadium was extensively promoted through local media, the Iranian press opted to restrict coverage, releasing only a handful of photographs to the public. Notably, several attending women were observed without the mandatory hijab.

It is still not clear if the development in Sirjan is a lasting policy change by the Islamic Republic. Women’s presence in stadiums outside of Tehran has become a controversial issue in recent years. FIFA have been calling for women's entry into stadiums for years, but Iran's Football Federation and other relevant entities had persistently delayed its full implementation.

The Iranian regime's handling of women's participation in football matches has remained under global scrutiny. While there were some limited concessions granted last year, allowing women a controlled entry, the government's reaction to nationwide protests eventually resulted in the revocation of this privilege, leading to months of matches conducted without spectators.

During a visit to Damascus, Vahid Jalalzadeh, the head of Iran's parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission, conveyed the message that Iran's support to Syria extends beyond military aid.

"Just as we have been with the Syrian government and people in the war with terrorists, we will also be with them in the economic war," Jalalzadeh said during his visit. He also emphasized Iran's stance against foreign presence on Syrian soil, rejecting any foreign intervention, “be it Turkish or American.”

Arriving in Syria on Monday with a delegation for a three-day visit, Jalalzadeh held discussions with Prime Minister Hussein Arnous and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.

The extent of Iran's military expenditures in support of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad remains undisclosed. While initial estimates placed the support between $20 billion and $30 billion, evidence of Iran's increasing industrial capabilities suggests the true figure could be significantly higher. Leaked documents from Iran's foreign ministry reveal that Syria's debt to Iran has reached $50 billion, stemming from a long-term agreement signed in January 2019.

Many Iranians have raised discontent with their government's regional policies and its financial aid to militant groups, particularly in light of domestic economic challenges. Inflation exceeding 50 percent and a devalued national currency have led to widespread economic hardship, with nearly half the population living below the poverty line.

Speaking in a rare interview with Sky News, Assad claimed "the close relations between Syria and Russia and Iran prove that Damascus knows how to choose its friends.,” highlighting the brutal force the three governments employed to crush dissent during the civil war.

The war, which broke out in 2011, rages on with the UN estimating that more than 300,000 civilians were killed in the first decade of the conflict.

During its 12 years, the war has forced more than half of the country's 22 million pre-war population to flee their homes with the civil war a major factor in Europe's migrant crisis.

The governments of Canada and the Netherlands recently filed torture complaints against Syria in the International Court of Justice over the "unlawful killing" of thousands of civilians.

Assad added: “The support of our friends had an important impact on the stability of Syria. The support of Iran and Russia helped Syria to resist the crisis that engulfed the country.”

Syria is far from stable continues to be hugely swayed by both Moscow and Tehran, whose own relationship has also been challenged by the desire to gain a greater foothold in Syria, Iran’s presence only putting Russia’s own troops at risk from Israel attacks as the shadow war between Iran and Israel continues with a major focus on Syria.

Just last week, Iran International reported on new research by Israel’s Alma research institute which shows Iran’s investment into weapons plants in Syria continues, at the expense of the Iranian people suffering the worst economic crisis in decades.

The Alma report claimed: “Iran’s major focus is to develop and manufacture precision missiles and rockets, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on Syrian soil”.

Assad did not refer to the ongoing strengthening of Iran’s proxies on its doorstep, nor the permanent presence of IRGC and Quds forces on Syrian soil during his interview.

This month marks 10 years since then President Obama decided not to bomb Syria after chemical weapons were used against civilians in rebel-held areas. President Assad has now regained control of the capital Damascus and most urban areas.

“We knew from the beginning of the war that this war would be long. It will be and it won't be a temporary crisis - as some thought - but no, no one could have predicted the details,” he told Sky News, seemingly unconcerned that the country has reached the depths of despair, compounded by last year’s tragic earthquake which left over 8,000 civilians dead.

Moving the blame away from his tyrannical regime, Assad pointed the finger at “terrorism” for the country’s destruction. “If we assume that it was the government that started killing and displacing people, then the government is responsible, but terrorism existed and the government was fighting terrorism, it was terrorism that killed, destroyed and burned.,” he claimed.

Soon after anti-regime protests started in early 2011, Assad’s government resorted to use of military force against protesters with Iran’s backing.

The World Bank’s latest report asserts that “although large-scale armed conflict has subsided, Syria continues to rank among the top countries in terms of violent deaths”, noting that “multiple domestic and external shocks are adversely affecting the economy”.

In 2020, it was revealed by a prominent lawmaker that Iran had spent between $20 billion and $30 billion in Syria to prop up President Bashar al-Assad and fight Islamic State but as revelations of Iran’s growing industrial capabilities continue, the true number is believed to be far higher.

“We have probably paid $20-30 billion to Syria, and we have to take that money back,” Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, said in an interview with Etemad Online at the time. Little has changed since, regime activities in Syria seeming to only step up, not down.

In May, Iran International reported that based on leaked documents from the Iranian foreign ministry, that Syria owes Iran $50 billion. Iranians often express strong disapproval of the regime’s regional policy of establishing and supporting militant groups and its involvement in Syria, while inflation has surpassed 50 percent in Iran. Iran’s national currency has fallen 12-fold in the past five years and nearly half of the population lives below the poverty line.

Four prisoners were executed for alleged drug-related crimes, while five men from Marand faced execution on charges of rape. The situation has garnered international attention as concerns mount over the Iranian government's capital punishment practices.

On Wednesday, Manouchehar Khazaei, a former member of the police force, was executed in Hamedan for drug-related offenses. Additionally, Hossein Nasiriyan and Hasan-Ali Shakib were hanged on Tuesday in Shiraz Central Prison, both on drug-related charges. Another prisoner, Ahad Hashemi, was executed in Hamadan prison on Wednesday after spending seven years in jail for drug crimes.

Meanwhile, the execution of five men from the northwestern city of Marand for alleged rape was carried out on Wednesday, though the identities of the executed individuals have not been disclosed by Iranian authorities or media.

The human rights organization Hengaw has further expressed concern regarding potential death sentences for four protesters from Sanandaj, accused of "moharebe" or "war against God" during the revolutionary uprising.

These executions coincide with a recent report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, highlighting a distressing trend of increased capital punishment in Iran. The report revealed that in 2022, 582 individuals were executed—a staggering 75% rise compared to the previous year's figure of 333. Notably, this included the execution of three juveniles.

In 2023, alarming parallels persist, with 94 executions recorded in January and February alone. The report also highlights the execution of several individuals allegedly involved in nationwide protests.

Matthew Miller, the State Department Spokesman, on Wednesday emphasized the importance of allowing women to make personal choices about their attire.

"It is our belief, as we’ve said before, that women in Iran and everywhere should be free to wear what they want," said Miller. "Iranian women should not have to worry about Iranian authorities using surveillance technology or any other methods to impose control over them. The United States has and will continue to take action to support the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Iran, including women – the women and girls of Iran, and to work with allies and partners to pursue accountability for the perpetrators of human rights abuses."

Raisi's recent statement, issued on Wednesday, threatened an end to protests against the hijab, attributing them to foreign influences. He pledged to employ a response to quell the protests and "raise awareness" among those not adhering to the hijab.

"Certain individuals, not adhering to hijab, may lack awareness. Our duty is to raise their awareness,” Raisi asserted, adding that "foreign influences are orchestrating an organized campaign to abolish the hijab."

Raisi's announcement comes against the backdrop of ongoing defiance by Iranian women and girls against the compulsory headscarf. Notably, Raisi's comments arrive weeks before the anniversary of the tragic death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the morality police.