Iran’s rulers are attempting to end their country’s international isolation. But there are innumerable obstacles for them, beginning with the goon-like activity of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) along with its expeditionary arm, the al-Quds Force.
There are also problems with Iran’s proxies, the Iran-allied Shia militias in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, all of which are meddling in neighboring countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. And “state-sponsored terrorism” remains as policy, as strong as ever.
But the most important obstacle is the political unrest inside Iran.
During the past three days In Tehran, thousands of Iranians from different classes such as nurses, mine workers, retired teachers, employees of Tehran’s Transit Bus Company, military men, inspectors, and experts from the Mine & Industry Ministry, have gathered in front of the parliament and Tehran’s City Hall, demanding job security, wage rights, and job insurance.
According to National Council of Resistance (NCRI) report (in a clarified translation):
“The rallies were held under severe security measures. The suppressive forces were in tight control of the parliament’s and the city hall’s surrounding areas for fear of large groups of people joining the protest, and were barring pedestrians from stopping and joining the protesters.
The police forces prevented any passer-by from stopping in the street. Protestors chanted: ‘Workers and employees are awake, we hate injustice,’ ‘Workers, teachers, unite, unite,’ ‘Rise up to eliminate discrimination,’ ‘Dignity, and livelihood are our inalienable right.’ The protestors accused the regime authorities and leaders of embezzlement, astronomical property plunder, and chanted against Ghalibaf, the crooked Mayor of Tehran. The protestors were holding placards that read: ‘We will not rest until we get our rights.’
Passers-by hailed the protestors and paid sympathy and tributes to them and as they signaled their hatred of the regime.”
Meanwhile, the Swedish government has proposed a resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council against the Iranian regime for violating human rights. The Swedish representative in the UN announced that the purpose of this resolution is to prepare a text to extend the general mandate of the human rights rapporteur to investigate the Iranian regime for a year.
Iran, as usual, condemned the Swedish human rights draft resolution,
Deputy Foreign Minister for International and Legal Affairs of Iranian regime Araghchi slammed the United Nation draft.
The U.S. State Department, in its annual Report on Human Rights on Iran wrote:
The most significant human rights problems are severe restrictions on civil liberties, including the freedoms of assembly, association, speech (including via the internet), religion, and press; unlawfully detained, tortured, or killed; disappearances; cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, including judicially sanctioned amputation and flogging; repression; harsh and life-threatening conditions in detention and prison facilities, arbitrary arrest and lengthy pretrial detention; denial of fair public trial, sometimes resulting in executions without due process; the lack of an independent judiciary; harassment and arrest of journalists; censorship and media content restrictions; official corruption and lack of government transparency, violence against women, ethnic and religious minorities.
It was obvious enough in an appalling act of violence, two days ago, when a young Tehran resident who had recently converted to the Baha’i was killed by the agents of the Iranian regime’s para-military Basij forces. According to an MEK report (in a clarified translation):
“Arta M., 26, had recently converted to Baha’ism. According to his friends, his life was threatened a number of times by his cousins who were members of the government-backed para-military Basij, and agents of the intelligence ministry. On one occasion, his cousins attacked him and beat him severely, leaving him badly injured.
Arta’s friend, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals by government agents, said a member of the family had threatened Arta if he didn’t repent. If he decided to continue with his new religion, he would definitely be killed. The video is too gruesome and barbaric to watch and this victim of a religious hatred killing shows once again the flagrant violations of human rights in Iran.”
In yet another incident, Zia Savari, 24, from the southern oil-rich city of Ahvaz who had sought but was unable to gain asylum in the Netherlands, was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) at its headquarters as soon as he returned to Iran. He was then sentenced to six years’ imprisonment at the trial by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz.
He was charged with “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz placed his family under pressure regarding the given bail upon the confiscation of their property. An Arab refugee in Netherlands named Isa Savari said: “Zia Savari was with me for a few days and he was not linked to any organization or political circle. He was not involved in any activities since his asylum case had not been clear.”
It demonstrates conclusively that it is too late for Iran to attempt to end isolation. The leading obstacle is the oppression happening inside Iran and the powder-keg nature of Iran’s society.
