December 22, 2022
Several Bay Area cities have passed resolutions decrying ongoing human rights abuses in Iran. The effort started in Berkeley and Oakland.
In recent months, women-led protests all over the world have spoken out against human rights abuses by the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly against women. The tipping point was the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman visiting the city of Tehran who was arrested for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code. Amini died while in custody, leading many in Iran and beyond to suspect murder.
Mahsa Amini’s death has served as a global rallying cry against the Iranian government’s treatment of disenfranchised groups, and the Bay Area is seeing its own movement along these lines. Recent protests have taken place in Berkeley and on the Golden Gate Bridge.
One local effort started in 2020. That year, an East Bay pediatrician named Jaleh Niazi watched “Nasrin,” a documentary about Iranian human rights attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh. It inspired her and other Iranians living in Oakland and Berkeley to protest that government’s treatment of women and other disenfranchised groups. “I think most Iranians who are out of the country are acutely aware of the tyrannical rules that are inside the country and would like to help in one way or another,” Jaleh said.
The film documents the life and work of Nasrin Sotoudeh, an activist who has spent the bulk of her career in the Islamic Republic of Iran representing women, children, LGBTQ prisoners, religious minorities, journalists, artists, and those facing the death penalty. In 2018, she was arrested for representing women protesting Iran’s mandatory hijab law; she was sentenced to 38 years plus 184 lashes. Sotoudeh has spent the last four years in and out of prison due to medical furlough but remains under state surveillance.
Niazi, who moved to Berkeley from Iran as a teenager and later worked in Oakland as a pediatrician for two decades, was deeply moved by the film. Her family fled the country during the Iranian revolution, an uprising in 1978-79 that overthrew the country’s monarchy and installed an Islamic republic.
“She’s very powerful through the work she does, moving through the legal channels to represent women and children and minority groups oppressed by the regime,” Niazi said of Sotoudeh. “It wasn’t just about her, it was what she symbolized, and I thought she would be a good person to focus on for the movement.”
The documentary prompted Niazi and other East Bay Iranians to draft a resolution that Bay Area cities could pass calling for Sotoudeh’s release and condemning other forms of state violence and repression against marginalized groups in Iran. The idea was to mirror Sotoudeh’s legal approach to tackling injustice. “Anybody can contact us for a template. They can add to it and write to their council member and ask for their support,” Niazi said.
Her brother Kaveh Niazi, a longtime homeowner in Montclair, and Mona Afary, executive director of Oakland-based nonprofit Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants, assisted with reaching out to Oakland’s councilmembers to get their resolution passed in October.
“What I like about Nasrin’s resolution is that it just doesn’t talk about freeing Nasrin. It talks about freeing everyone who is in opposition to the regime,” Afary said.
Kaveh Niazi felt that if Oakland were to stand with the women-led revolution in Iran, it would set an example for other cities to follow. “Oakland is a large, vibrant, multicultural municipality in the Bay Area,” Kaveh said, “and I hope that when others see what Oakland has done that they can try to mimic us in some way and ask themselves, ‘Where do we stand in regard to women’s rights? Where do we stand in regard to human rights?’”
Kaveh Niazi said many in the Iranian diaspora feel compelled to say something. “By passing these resolutions, there’s zero risk to me and my family, but when people in Iran go to demonstrations, they know they’re going to be shot,” Kaveh said. As of late November, over 450 people have been killed in the nationwide protests, and that number continues to rise.
Jaleh’s friend Mona Afary left Iran at the age of 20, shortly before the revolution, to attend Cal Poly Pomona in Southern California. A few years later, she moved to the Bay Area and transferred to San Francisco State University. Since then, she’s worked to provide clinical services to refugees through her nonprofit organization in Oakland. Her current work is deeply tied to her experience as an Iranian who no longer feels safe in her home country. “I spent the first 20 years of my life in Iran, so I have a deep connection with the people there even though my family lives here now,” Afary said. “I think that what we are seeing in Iran right now is that the young women are taking the leadership of this movement.”
Jaleh and Kaveh Niazi’s parents were academics who studied at UC Berkeley prior to the Iranian revolution. Their parents would move with their children back and forth from Iran to live in Pasadena and also in Berkeley for work. “They [Jaleh and Kaveh’s parents] asked their friends in Berkeley to send an invitation for a visa. It took about eight months for us to actually legally leave the country,” Jaleh said. “At that time, many of my classmates were leaving as well.”
The two siblings attended Berkeley High in the early 1980s and were, at the time, some of the only Iranians at the school. Jaleh went on to pursue a career in medicine, became a pediatrician, and had a practice in Oakland’s Pill Hill neighborhood for 20 years before moving back to Berkeley in the late 2010s. Kaveh went on to become a teacher and obtained a Ph.D. in Iranian studies from Columbia University. For the Niazis, their service-oriented career journeys are intertwined with their Iranian roots.
“I think there are very strong roots in Iranian culture to always give back. There is a Persian saying that if a limb is hurting, then the other limbs are also hurting,” Jaleh said.
More Bay Area cities join the effort
The group drafted the resolution in 2020, and it took roughly a year for the Alameda Democratic Party to adopt it in May 2021, followed by the City of Berkeley in June 2021 and the University of California Student Association in May 2022. In early October, Oakland became the second city to pass their resolution.
Niazi says getting non-Iranians in the Bay Area to empathize with human rights abuses occurring in a faraway country has been challenging. “People had been upset that no one [locally] had covered this until now because when you do, it gives a strong message to the government in Iran that people are watching,” Niazi said.
Their efforts have gained momentum in recent months. Nationwide protests ensued in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death. Many citizens were arrested by the Iranian morality police for crimes allegedly committed during those protests and are now in danger of execution; two executions have been confirmed, with more expected to follow.
Niazi maintains an online record of how many U.S cities have chosen to adopt their resolution, with each city making slight alterations. So far, more than a dozen cities have signed on.
“Americans stand up for injustice, but only when they know about it,” Niazi said. “So it’s wonderful to see that this is taking off now.”
Iranian arms transfers through Beirut airport could ignite the Middle East
December 22, 2022
Earlier this year, Israel attacked the Damascus airport after Iran transferred missiles and weapons to Damascus on civilian flights. Israel routinely strikes Iran’s weapons transfers by ground and precision missile factories in Syria, but commercial flights to a civilian airport have not been a primary path for these weapons deliveries.
On the ground, the most direct path from Iran to its Hezbollah and Syrian proxies is through the Iraq-Syria border near Al-Tanf, where a small American military presence monitors Islamic State activity and acts as a bulwark against Iranian weapons transfers. Iran is forced to take less direct routes to transfer its arms, including through the border town of Abu Kamel, which is monitored by Israeli intelligence in the deadly cat-and-mouse game between Iran and Israel.
Now, Beirut International Airport is on Israel’s radar, because Iran has flown weapons on civilian flights to supply arms to its Hezbollah proxy. Hezbollah controls Beirut airport and the Lebanese government. Iran also has positioned precision weapons factories near the Beirut airport and purposely put military facilities and weapons next to civilian areas. An example is an open-source revelation by the Israeli research organization Alma, showing aerial photographs of weapons factories next to a gas company and a school in Lebanon’s Ebba and Jnah neighborhoods. Using human shields is a war crime, a tactic also employed by Hamas against Israel in Gaza.
Targeting the Beirut airport could raise the hackles of the Biden administration and the European Union, fearing that the fragile Lebanese government will be thrown into further chaos. However, the worry that an Israeli attack on the Beirut airport may ignite a larger confrontation between Israel and Iran’s proxies is of most concern. As Israel’s Channel 12 reported, “[Israeli] strikes on Hezbollah’s home turf could lead to reprisals by the terror group, which has significant firepower pointed at Israel, creating a dilemma for Jerusalem.”
The Biden administration must shift its diplomatic efforts into high gear to see if they still have influence with the other minority populations of Syria — the Sunnis, Druze and Christians — who don’t want Lebanon again turned into a battlefield. With Hezbollah’s approval, the U.S. mediated a maritime deal between Lebanon and Israel last month that was thought to be an Israeli concession to avoid a confrontation with Hezbollah over disputed gas fields. That agreement and its temporary ceasefire could be endangered if Israel strikes Beirut airport.
Hezbollah took a pounding in 2006 in the Second Lebanon War, from which it took years to recover, and they may not be anxious or ready for another fight. Hezbollah lauds itself as the only effective force against the Israelis, having neutered the Lebanese Armed Forces. But Hezbollah is concerned that the Lebanese people will blame them for Israeli strikes against civilian infrastructure next to Hezbollah military facilities, potentially weakening their dominance over the government. An Israeli strike in Lebanon would bring the usual European condemnation of the civilian casualties made unavoidable by Iran’s embedding military assets in civilian areas. But Israel would argue it had no choice but to strike, if the weapons shipments included precision-guided missiles.
For its part, Hezbollah has limited autonomy as it follows the instructions of its patron and master in Tehran. The Lebanese Shiites of Hezbollah follow the orders of Iran’s Supreme Leader under the principle of the guardianship of the jurist, Wilayat al-Faqih. In other words, it is up to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to determine how high they want to raise the temperature with Israel. Many believe Iran is not ready to activate Hezbollah fully, but another theory is that they might welcome a Lebanese war to deflect attention from the ongoing protests in Iran’s streets.
The battle between Israel and Iran in Lebanon and Syria is called the “War Between the Wars.” Iran aims to strengthen Hezbollah, create a permanent Iranian presence in Syria, and then destabilize Jordan and the West Bank to encircle Israel in a “ring of fire.” Iran wants to combine this with possession of nuclear weapons to checkmate Israel.
What is certain is that Israel, under any government, right or left, will not allow Iran to establish a permanent presence in Syria and will do what it takes to slow the transfer of game-changing weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iranian militias dominating the Iraqi army are also under the watchful eye of Israel and periodically attacked in Iraqi territory.
It would behoove the Biden administration not to wait until it is too late and to use its highest-ranking diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to persuade Iran to stop using the Beirut airport for weapons transfers. Assuming Iran gave its approval to Hezbollah for the maritime deal, diplomacy might accomplish this.
A new confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah on a front that has been quiet since 2006 could upend the Middle East. Let’s hope the Biden administration understands the high stakes.
HRW calls Iran’s ‘Bloody Friday’ crackdown the deadliest of the year
December 21, 2022
The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called the crackdown between Iranian forces and protesters on September 30, 2022, known as "Bloody Friday," the deadliest day of the year.
As denounced by the NGO, Iranian authorities killed the largest number of people in one day during protests in the city of Zahedan and urge the newly created UN fact-finding mission to pay more attention to abuses of police force committed in regions of Iran with a larger presence of minorities. In the case of the city of Zahedan, there is a large Baluchi population from Sistan-Baluchestan province.
In its complaint, HRW has documented with more than 50 videos and photographs of the shooting of demonstrators and bystanders that were shared by the Iranian human rights group Haalvsh.
According to the NGO, at least twelve people were killed, including a minor, and about thirty injured on September 30, although they warn that the actual numbers could be much higher.
"The number of protesters and bystanders shot by Iranian security forces on 'Bloody Friday' was the highest number killed in a single day during the protests, but no one responsible has been arrested," confirmed HRW's senior researcher on the region, Tara Sepehri Far.
"The government's immense brutality has brought the struggles of long-neglected communities, such as Zahedan, to the center of the protests," she added.
During September 30, people were leaving Friday prayers from Zahedan's Grand Mosalla at noon when security forces began firing tear gas and bullets at a group of young protesters heading towards a police station.
For its part, the NGO Amnesty International reports that the number of victims after the altercation is at least 66 people, as well as hundreds of wounded, making it the deadliest day on record since protests over the death of Mahsa Amini began to spread across Iran.
Iran claims to have arrested four Mossad teams amid protests
December 22, 2022
Iran's Intelligence Ministry claimed that it had arrested four operational teams working for Israel's Mossad on Thursday, in its latest in a series of claims concerning alleged Mossad operatives in the country.
The ministry claimed that the alleged teams were trying to "take advantage" of the ongoing unrest throughout Iran and had tried to commit combined attacks in multiple locations.
The Intelligence Ministry added that it had obtained "clues" about a Mossad hitman in a European country and would publish the information once investigations are completed.
Announcement comes just days after claimed thwarting of Mossad network
The announcement comes just days after Iran’s Intelligence Ministry claimed that it thwarted a Mossad network attempting to sabotage its defense industries.
Iranians protest, holding signs with slogans such as ''women, life, freedom'' and'' ''I swear by the good blood of Iran it will be free.'' December 2022 (credit: 1500tasvir)
According to the Iranian Intelligence Ministry, Mossad contacted companies that work with the Islamic Republic’s defense industries in order to collect information.
The Mossad allegedly began working with a person named “Frank” who works as a sales manager for a company that supplies parts and is in contact with Iranian companies, according to the report.
Iranian intelligence claimed that Frank invited his employees to a seminar in Malaysia and introduced them to a man named “Hadrien,” who runs a company in Singapore that works with Iranian companies to produce carbon fiber and metal alloys.
The two worked with colleagues in Iran who identified the latest needs of the military and defense establishment in the country, according to the report.
“Hadrien” and “Frank” are listed as officials on the website of a company in Singapore that deals with advanced alloys and composites for aerospace applications. The company also deals in materials important for the petrochemical industry. The company’s website seems not to have been updated much since around 2018. The claim also included a video featuring photos of the individuals accused of working with the Mossad.
Iran threatens Zelenskyy over speech to Congress, claims it has provided no arms to Russia
December 22, 2022
Iran on Thursday took a swing at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over comments he made to Congress this week and denied accusations that Tehran has supplied Russia with drones.
"Mr. Zelenskyy had better know that Iran’s strategic patience over such unfounded accusations is not endless," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a threatening message posted to the ministry’s website.
Kanaani also advised Zelenskyy "to draw a lesson from the fate of some other political leaders who contented themselves with the US support."
The spokesman's comments came one day after Zelenskky addressed the U.S. Congress in an appeal for additional aid – a plea aimed at GOP lawmakers who are divided on whether providing support to Kyiv is a matter of national security.
"When Russia cannot reach our cities by its artillery, it tries to destroy them with missile attacks," he said. "More than that, Russia found an ally in its genocidal policy – Iran.
"Iranian deadly drones, sent to Russia in hundreds, became a threat to our critical infrastructure," he continued. "That is how one terrorist has found the other. It is just a matter of time – when they will strike against your other allies, if we do not stop them now."
The White House first disclosed Tehran’s plans to "gift" Russia hundreds of Shahed-136 drones earlier this year and by August 1,000 Iranian-supplied drones had been shipped to Russia.
Iranian drones have since been heavily used against civilian targets in Ukraine as Russia looks to starve the nation of its energy resources.
Kyiv, the U.S. and international allies have accused and sanctioned Tehran over its arms support for Moscow.
But Iran has denied providing Russia with drones despite claims from the U.S. State Department that there is "abundant evidence" Russia is using Iranian drones in Ukraine.
Iran has repeatedly denied these claims.
Reports and comments made by top defense officials suggest Iran and Russia are also expanding their "defense partnership" by helping the Kremlin produce Iranian drones within Russian borders.
The White House further accused Iran of being "directly engaged on the ground" in Crimea.
Iran calls these accusations media manipulation and said it has "always respected the territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine."
In July, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, backed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and suggested NATO would have started a war over Russia’s occupation of Crimea anyway, referring to it as a "dangerous entity."
"If you had not taken the initiative, the other side would have done so and initiated a war," he said according to a statement from the Iranian leader's office.
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