TOP STORIES
US, UK, French Military Shoot Down Houthi Drones After Attack On Bulk Carrier, Destroyers | Reuters
U.S., French and British forces downed dozens of drones in the Red Sea area overnight and on Saturday after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis targeted bulk carrier Propel Fortune and U.S. destroyers in the region, the U.S. military said in a statement. The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November in what they say is a campaign of solidarity with Palestinians during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
Peru Arrests An Iranian Man Accused Of Planning An Attack On An Israeli Citizen | Associated Press
Police in Peru announced the arrest Friday of an Iranian citizen who was purportedly a member of Iran’s Quds Force and allegedly planned to kill an Israeli citizen in the South American country. Gen. Óscar Arriola, Peru’s police chief, said in a press conference that Majid Azizi, 56, was arrested Thursday in Lima, along with two Peruvian citizens. Arriola said authorities thwarted the attack against the Israeli. He did not identify the intended target for security reasons. Police are still looking for a third Peruvian they think was in charge of the plot to kill the Israeli man, he said.
The human rights organization Hengaw said Iranian security agencies detained over 300 women for political or ideological reasons last year, with more than 100 still facing imprisonment for various charges. According to a report released on March 8 by Hengaw, which closely tracks human rights violations in Iran, at least 325 women were apprehended by security forces across Iran in 2023. The detainees include a diverse group including at least 18 students, 17 journalists and media activists, 10 artists and actors, and seven teachers.
UANI IN THE NEWS
Diplomats Fear Growing Power Of Iranian Factions That Want Nuclear Weapons | The Guardian
... Kasra Aarabi, the director of IRGC research at United against Nuclear Iran, said: “The Biden administration’s refusal to impose direct consequences on Iran – despite its consistent acts of aggression since October 7, including an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps proxy attack that killed three US soldiers in Syria – has emboldened the Iranian regime and made supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and the IRGC believe the regime can escalate without facing any repercussions.” Aarabi, of United against Nuclear Iran, said: “The remainder of this year will be extremely volatile, not least as there is growing mood within the regime that the next 10 months may present the best opportunity to move towards weaponisation prior to a potential new administration in White House.
US Not Likely To Change Oil Sanctions For Now, Despite Iran's Nuclear Rhetoric: Experts | S&P Global
If Tehran were to publicly acquire full nuclear weaponization, Iran's terrorist proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthi rebels would be emboldened knowing they were backed by a nuclear equipped power, said Daniel Roth, research director at the group United Against Nuclear Iran.
... Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Jason Brodsky, who is a policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), called the State Department decision "awful". "Why did @StateDept grant a visa to #Iran’s regime’s vice president for women & family affairs to attend @UN_CSW in NY after Tehran was ousted & a UN fact finding mission found that IRI committed crimes against humanity? Awful decision. #MahsaAmini," he tweeted. Slamming Khazali for supporting child marriage and Iranian regime's suppression of its people, Brodsky said the US “could have made a statement by denying her a visa."
NUCLEAR DEAL & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Diplomats Fear Growing Power Of Iranian Factions That Want Nuclear Weapons | The Guardian
There are growing fears among diplomats in the US and Europe that Iran’s largely unmonitored nuclear programme and the destabilisation caused by the Gaza conflict are strengthening the hand of Iranian factions that back the development of nuclear weapons. The Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, has reiterated in recent days that his country is pursuing a civilian nuclear programme for now.
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Canada Sanctions Iranian Officials Over Women’s Repression | Iran International
The Canadian government announced on Friday that it would be imposing new sanctions on two Iranian individuals accused of participating in the repression of women. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly made the announcement on the International Women's Day, targeting Masoud Dorosti, the chief executive of Tehran's metro system, and Zohreh Elahian, a conservative parliamentarian. Dorosti is responsible for enforcing Iran's mandatory hijab law on public transit, and Elahian, a vocal supporter of measures including the death penalty for protesters, have been accused of leveraging their positions to enforce increasingly repressive measures against women and girls in Iran.
Iran Condemns UN Experts Report On 2022 Protests | Al Arabiya
Tehran on Saturday strongly condemned a UN report on the Islamic Republic’s response to mass protests in 2022, denouncing Western countries’ “Iranophobia.” The report was built on “baseless claims” and “false and biased information, without a legal basis,” foreign affairs ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement. International experts said the repression of mostly peaceful protests beginning in September 2022 and “institutionalised discrimination” toward women and girls have led to “crimes against humanity.”
MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS
UK Spots New Iran-Made Drone At Russian Airbase In Crimea | Iran International
Britain's Ministry of Defense announced Friday that an Iranian Mohajer-6 surveillance and attack drone has been identified at Russia’s Saky Airfield in occupied Crimea. “The continued presence of the system in western Crimea is likely evidence of Russia trying to identify threats to Russian ports and vessels following recent Ukrainian successes,” read the statement issued by the ministry on X. The ministry also shared a satellite image which proved the presence of the Iran-made drone right beside a UAV ground control station in the airfield. The image was taken by an Airbus satellite on February 23.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran Denounces Meta’s Suspension Of Khamenei’s Accounts | Iran International
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian lambasted Meta’s decision to remove Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s accounts from Instagram and Facebook. "Blocking the media accounts of the supreme leader of the revolution is not only a violation of freedom of speech but also an insult to millions of followers of his views," he told Middle East Eye news website on Friday. Hailing Khamenei as “the most prominent supporter of the oppressed people of Palestine and Gaza,” Iran’s top diplomat attributed Meta’s suspension of the Supreme Leader’s pages in February to a larger campaign allegedly aimed at oppressing pro-Palestinian voices on social media.
RUSSIA, SYRIA, ISRAEL, HEZBOLLAH, LEBANON & IRAN
Russia To Hold Joint Naval Drills With Iran And China | Al Arabiya
A group of Russian warships has arrived in Iran for military exercises in which China will also take part, the Russian defense ministry said on Monday, Interfax news agency reported. The drills will take place in the waters of the Gulf of Oman and their main goal is the security of maritime economic activity, the ministry said.
MISCELLANEOUS
Iran, Russia And Taliban Among Guests At Nominal US Ally Qatar's Weapons Expo | Fox News
Iran turned up at a Qatari weapons exposition this week, providing a high-profile platform for Tehran to tout its military capabilities even as Doha continues to affirm defensive and strategic partnerships with the United States. The Islamist nation was among several attending nations hostile to the U.S., raising concerns Qatar could be helping America's enemies arm up. But one expert told Fox News Digital such events often bring together strange bedfellows.