IRAN Audio Series

NCRI-US

The Iran Audio Series are produced by the National Council of Resistance of Iran - U.S. Representative Office (NCRI-US). The NCRI is the Iranian democratic opposition coalition, dedicated to the establishment of a democratic, secular, non-nuclear republic in Iran. The NCRI-US is the representative office of the NCRI in Washington. These materials are being distributed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran - U.S. Representative Office. Additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

  1. The Growing Popularity of “Death to Raisi” Slogan in Iran Protests

    06/19/2022

    The Growing Popularity of “Death to Raisi” Slogan in Iran Protests

    BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Series By Alireza Jafarzadeh Deputy Director, U.S. Representative Office National Council of Resistance of Iran June 18, 2022 A year ago, today, in a political circus known as “elections”, massively boycotted by the Iranian people, with lowest turnout ever, even with hugely inflated official tallies, the regime’s Supreme Leader Khamenei had Ebrahim Raisi to be announced as his president. At the time the mullahs’ propaganda machine began portraying him as a savior on a mission to resolve all crises engulfing his regime. A year after, however, people from all walks of life are taking to the streets throughout Iran and chanting “Death to Khamenei” and “Death to Raisi!” delivering a major blow to Khamenei’s strategy of using Raisi to silence a restive populace and groom him as his successor. Khamenei had heavily gambled on the success of this ploy. He purged almost all other political factions even many of his longtime allies to shield and elevate Raisi. But now, on daily basis, he sees the dismal failure of this strategy with the “Death to Raisi” loud and clear in Iran protests. Even before he began his office, Raisi known as “henchman of 1988,” was a much-hated figure among Iranians for his key role as a member of the Death Commission in the 1988 massacre of nearly 30,000 political prisoners, 90% of them members of Iran’s main opposition, the Mojahedin-e Khalq, the MEK. Iran’s people have not succumbed to barbaric crackdown of peaceful protests by teachers, workers, pensioners and other social sectors during Raisi’s tenure. To the contrary, they have become more energized in their demands beyond mere economic and work-related slogans, seeking the regime’s downfall. In short, Khamenei’s strategy of using Raisi as the bogyman has miserably backfired as Iran protests getting ever closer to achieving their goal, regime change for freedom and democracy!

    3 min
  2. Enforce, Extend Sanctions on Tehran, Formulate an Over-Arching Iran Policy

    06/17/2022

    Enforce, Extend Sanctions on Tehran, Formulate an Over-Arching Iran Policy

    BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Audio Series By Alireza Jafarzadeh Deputy Director, U.S. Representative Office National Council of Resistance of Iran June 16, 2022 Today, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned several entities of the regime ruling Iran, under Executive Order 13846, “Reimposing Certain Sanctions with Respect to Iran,” which was issued in 2018. The entities sanctioned today include Kharg, Marun and Fanavaran petrochemical companies. Marun Petrochemical Company was first exposed by the NCRI in March 2017. It is part of the "Armed Forces Social Welfare Investment Organization," one of the 14 economic powerhouses controlled by the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the IRGC. All these entities are directly involved in facilitating the regime’s proliferation, terrorism, and suppressive activities, and key culprits in the plunder of the national wealth of the Iranian people and the crippling economic devastation. Today’s sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department are welcome, but they are not sufficient. First, all existing and new sanctions, particularly those targeting Tehran’s energy sector must be effectively enforced. Second, all remaining entities and individuals involved in human rights violations, suppression, and terrorism, as well as the nuclear proliferation and missile and drone program in Iran, must be held accountable and sanctioned under relevant Executive Orders or other applicable laws. For all these measures to be effective in permanently halting the regime’s malign and destabilizing conduct, they need to be components of an over-arching Iran policy where support for the Iranian people seeking and fighting for regime-change and human rights, lie at its core. The ongoing anti-regime protests triggered by dismal living conditions and astronomical high food prices are spreading to all social sectors across Iran. Shouting “Death to Khamenei, Death to Raisi” they hold Khamenei, his president Raisi, and the entire regime as the root cause of their misery. Protesters see the theocracy’s overthrow as the only way to end their misery. And shouting “Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader (Khamenei)” they are also forward looking, vying for a future free of kings’ totalitarian reign and the ayatollahs’ religious dictatorship.

    3 min

About

The Iran Audio Series are produced by the National Council of Resistance of Iran - U.S. Representative Office (NCRI-US). The NCRI is the Iranian democratic opposition coalition, dedicated to the establishment of a democratic, secular, non-nuclear republic in Iran. The NCRI-US is the representative office of the NCRI in Washington. These materials are being distributed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran - U.S. Representative Office. Additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.