Senate In The Dark On Impact Of US Strikes In Mideast

The commander of Iran's Navy, Shahram Irani, announced that other countries have also been invited to participate, although did not specify beyond China and Russia.

Irani emphasized that “the primary strategy of the Iranian Army Navy in the current situation is to safeguard the interests and economic resources of the Islamic system and its people,” referring to growing tensions in the Middle East sparked by Iran-backed militia Hamas's invasion of Israel on October 7.

In the wake of Israel's retaliatory attacks, Iran's proxies came out in allegiance, triggering a simmering regional conflict. US bases have been targeted over 160 times across the region as punishment for supporting Israel's right to defend itself.

Last year the three pariah states conducted a joint naval maneuver in the Gulf of Oman as they become a growing threat to the wider global landscape. 

This week, the think tank Policy Exchange revealed that the UK faces "a back-door threat from the growing Iranian, Russian and Chinese presence in the Republic of Ireland, a mounting challenge for a chronically deficient Irish security and intelligence apparatus".

The threat from the anti-Western trio, experts warned, requires the UK to expand its air and naval presence in Northern Ireland, to counter a growing threat.

Iraqi National Security Council chief Qassem al-Araji was with Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani in the discussions regarding the escalating tensions in the region.

"Iraq has deployed, and continues to deploy, important efforts towards preserving stability and establishing de-escalation, in the interests of all the people of the region," Sudani said, according to a statement from his office.

The meeting occurred against the backdrop of recent US airstrikes in Syria and Iraq targeting elite Iranian forces and pro-Tehran armed groups. The strikes were a response to a drone attack on January 28 that resulted in the deaths of three US soldiers at a base near the Syrian border in Jordan and over 160 attacks since the Gaza war broke out on October 7.

Iran's proxies have come out in allegiance with Iran-backed Hamas, which waged war on Israel in an invasion which was the most deadly single day for Jews since the Holocaust. The US has come under fire for its support of Israel's right to defend itself.

The US airstrikes in Iraq, close to the Syrian border, resulted in the deaths of 16 fighters from Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition predominantly comprising pro-Iran paramilitary groups now integrated into Iraq's regular security forces.

Iran, a significant trade partner of Iraq, holds substantial political sway in Baghdad, with its Iraqi allies holding considerable influence in parliament and forming the current government.

After a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in November, Al-Sudani pledged to pursue the perpetrators of the rocket attacks on US bases in Iraq. The day after their meeting, the PM visited Tehran to meet President Ebrahim Raisi, Iraq in the middle of two allies amid wider regional conflict. 

Taghi Azad Armaki, a Tehran University academic argued in an interview that “the Iranian society has made a decision to disengage from the country's political system, preferring to pursue their own paths. Armaki argued that activists should not wait for the system's collapse or a potential war.”

Armaki pointed out that the new generation of Iranians primarily seeks a simple and peaceful life, devoid of political entanglements. He noted the widespread apathy towards political developments, including the upcoming elections in Iran, as people from various backgrounds and political affiliations have tirelessly strived for change over the past century, only to become disillusioned with politicians. The younger generation, in particular, tends to disregard political matters and the government altogether.

He clarified, "It is not that the Iranian society is indifferent. The issue is that the people want nothing to do with the government. Armaki attributed this disillusionment to various factors, including the perceived absurdity of elections, such as the Assembly of Experts election, where President Ebrahim Raisi is the sole candidate for his constituency and can secure a seat with just his own vote.

Reformist journalist and political activist Ahmad Zeidabadi echoed these sentiments, questioning the legitimacy of elections where a candidate can be elected with a single vote they cast themselves. "When Ebrahim Raisi can be elected to the Assembly of Experts with only one vote to represent the Southern Khorasan Province, based on what definition this can be called an election?” Zeidabadi emphasized the financial burden of such elections on the people and the futility of holding elections when the ultimate decision-making power remains outside the public's reach.

Armaki also noted that his generation was willing to take up arms against the political system before the 1979 revolution, whereas the Generation Z participants in the nationwide protests of 2022 did not entertain the idea of armed struggle.

He further highlighted that previous high voter turnouts had created an illusion of popularity among government insiders. However, recent elections with significantly lower turnout rates indicate that voters are not supporting specific candidates or political groups but seeking substantial change.

Armaki, like other academics such as Mohammad Ghasim Osmani, emphasized the growing disconnect between the Iranian people and the government. While the society still exists, it has disengaged from the government, reflecting a sense of hopelessness rather than despair. The government, on the other hand, has isolated itself within its own circles.

Referring to the current government, Armaki said: "Raisi has gathered a group of illiterate youngsters around himself. It is good to have young officials, but these officials should be able to bring about change.”

Armaki also commented on the situation of female lawmakers in the Iranian parliament, noting that they may appear as women, but often express views aligned with hardliner male counterparts. He questioned the government's emphasis on encouraging more children when it comes at a high cost. Additionally, he lamented the sight of young Iranians unable to care for their elderly relatives due to financial constraints.

Some other Iranian academics have taken a more radical stance on the situation in Iran. Bijan Abdolkarimi has even declared the Islamic revolution dead. He has criticized the government for attempting to address modern problems with outdated seminary knowledge and for lacking an understanding of freedom, leading to a dangerous widening gap between the people and the government.

Alongside the suspension of vehicles and the closure of establishments, authorities have now intensified scrutiny on ecommerce, citing concerns over "improper hijab" during the shopping period.

They have targeted images on websites and social media deemed to violate strict compulsory hijab regulations. The crackdown has affected numerous bloggers and businesses in the women's clothing sector, leading to page suspensions and post deletions, according to Didban Iran.

One women's clothing vendor, conducting both offline and online sales, spoke of being compelled to remove images following guidelines mandating closed coats and jackets, prohibiting street-location product photography, and banning the use of mini scarves. Any exposure of body parts and the use of distressed jeans is also strictly prohibited.

Reza Olfat Nasab, a member of the Union of Virtual Businesses' board of directors, said that “image regulations are just one of many concerns". She explained, "Larger issues such as internet speed and restrictions pose significant hurdles to the industry's operations.”

The increased enforcement of hijab comes in the wake of extensive protests in Iran following the death of Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in 2022 while in morality police custody. Amini's arrest in Tehran, reportedly for violating the Islamic republic’s compulsory hijab requirement, sparked one of the largest uprisings since the regime came to power. 

Women nationwide have been actively contesting the mandatory hijab, leading to heightened vigilance from hijab enforcement personnel in public areas like subway stations, schools and universities and public spaces.

In a statement, the council emphasized that despite the continued use of capital punishment, the government has failed to suppress the people of Iran who have been in the midst of the biggest anti-government unrest since the regime came to power.

"The act of execution is an inhumane, irrational, unethical practice and is the product of the will of the ruling minority, and until today, the punishment of execution has failed to subdue the people of Iran," the association statement said.

The condemnation follows Monday's outcry by over 430 civil and political activists within Iran, who criticized the execution spree, citing contradictions with the country's legal system.

The executions of four Kurdish prisoners—Pejman Fatehi, Mohsen Mazloum, Mohammad (Hazhir) Faramarzi, and Vafa Azarbar— at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, near Tehran, in late January ignited significant outrage. The men were accused of plotting to blow up a defense ministry facility in Najafabad in July 2022, as well as being labeled Israeli agents. Their executions particularly incensed many Iranians, leading to a general strike in Kurdish areas of the country.

Furthermore, the recent executions of Mohammad Ghobadlou, a protester from the 2022 demonstrations, and Farhad Salimi, a Kurdish political prisoner accused of murder, have drawn widespread condemnation from both domestic and international human rights organizations.

The surge in executions in Iran is notable, with 90 executions reported between December 22 and January 21 alone. According to UN experts' reports, Iran executed at least 834 Iranians in 2023, with eight of them reportedly linked to nationwide protests.