Iran’s attorney general has made some ambiguous statements that could possibly be construed as an end to the morality police, but may also suggest that judiciary wants to disassociate itself from the institution. Statements cited in press do not equal a change in policy. Here’s extract from Isna. He is saying the judiciary has nothing to do with the morality police, and its operations were shut down by the same organ that established it. No declaration that it’s been abolished. No real confirmation even operations stopped shorturl.at/cPU68

Breaking: Iran national football club stand mournfully and refuse to sing national anthem of clerical regime during first match against England at World Cup 2022 in act of protest against Khamenei henchmen’s violence Better video from @NatalieAmiri shows more clearly the refusal of Iran #TeamMelli to sing national anthem of Islamic regime

15 dead as Turkey strikes Kurdish rebel groups in Syria and Iraq independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… Update: Now reporting 31 dead in Turkey strikes on Syria, according to @syriahr

'The regime has set no boundaries for itself in violently fending off an uprising. No act of violence is too extreme, no lie too egregious. The murders are meant to terrify people into staying off the streets. Yet each death prompts more protests.' independent.co.uk/independentpre… Classmates of Kian Pirfalak, a 9-year-old allegedly shot dead by Khamenei regime gunmen in southwest Iran, mourn him at his grave in the city of Izeh

Iranian drone used by Russia:

* Made in February 2022
* 76 of parts sourced to US, from 14 American companies

Via @ABC Just to be clear, even if parts are sourced to US, doesn’t mean US companies sold them. Iran regime is master of sanctions evasion and parts were likely purchased via third parties, shell companies, black market or scrapyards

How did Khamenei rise to power and the Revolutionary Guard win power in Iran? What are the roots of the protest movement now engulfing Iran? Are the regime and its opponents on a collision course? Hear me discuss in @hated_and_dead podcast

https://twitter.com/hated_and_dead/status/1589210197444071424

Over the years I have tried several times to capture the essence of Khamenei, who is arguably the most influential and least scrutinized leader in the Middle East. He has been in power for 33 years, but not a single real book has been written about him independent.co.uk/news/world/mid…

Most of Iran's mullahs deserve to have their turbans knocked off their heads or even worse. But humiliating them now is not a good look, and risks hurting an uprising that needs to bolster its ranks by drawing in conservatives. My piece independent.co.uk/independentpre… Cracks within Iran's elite: Summary of recent critical commentary by regime insiders, mostly moderates, against hardliners who have dragged the country into a crisis without an obvious off-ramp iranintl.com/en/202211078932

Unnamed group inside Iran published charter of “women, life, freedom” movement.

1- Our goal is to establish the "Republic of Iran". The secular state does not interfere in any kind of religiosity (including beliefs and rituals); foreign policy based on national interest.
1/8 2- Our priority is to protect women's rights. Legal equality and facilitation of women's social roles are the main goals of rewriting laws and regulations.

In Iran’s Kurdish heartland, general strikes have shuttered entire commercial districts, Nightly protests have devolved into fiery battles between pitting uniformed police and armed plainclothes paramilitaries against rock-wielding protesters. My piece independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… Kurdish youth pummel Iran regime agent in city of Ilam, today 12 October. Very few calls for non-violence in this uprising.

In Iran, protesters led by the young and women spend days evading and battling increasingly terrified cops and Basiji. The people are brave and inspired, but will it be enough to topple an entrenched and violent regime?

My piece
independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… In 2009, Iranian protesters used to welcome the Basiji. “Honorable Basijis, support us!” They chanted.

No longer. “Basiji, liar, where is your student ID?” they are saying in Tehran’s Technical University today, 8 October

Instead of accusing regime supporters or suspected sympathizers of being traitors or threatening them with death or imprisonment, entice them to your side. That's how revolutions win. Stop accusing journalists and activists who may have a slightly different view of being "pro-regime" or "regime apologists." Unless they are involved in violence or repression, they should be considered people who can be won over.

Iran reels after violence at elite university. Khamenei blames Israel and the West for unrest. My update independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… Iran protests continue today, October 3. Here's the scene at Isfahan's Industrial University. "Azadi, azadi, azadi," they are chanting. "Freedom, freedom, freedom." #مهسا_امینی

Something extraordinary is happening in Iran, a moment of political and social evolution that transcends the protests themselves and may have a profound impact on Iranian society and politics for years to come. My piece independent.co.uk/independentpre…

https://twitter.com/blk_hd/status/1574031081933873152

Iran’s army threatens to step in as country braces for fresh protests independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… Iran protest news aggregator warns it is unable to get in touch with anyone inside the country as Internet has been cut. The regime has drawn a dark curtain around Iran, and protesters are cut off from the world. Expect extreme violence from a determined regime.

As protesters and police began a seventh day of street clashes, many doubt the outbreak of unorganised and leaderless political unrest could lead to the toppling of the regime, or even meaningful change within Iran’s rigid systems of coercive control independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… Tehran tonight. Protesters beat the crap out of a regime enforcer

https://twitter.com/1500tasvir/status/1573041781079506944

‘Iran watchers say that the killing of Ms Amini, seen as an ordinary young woman minding her own business, has touched a deep nerve among Iranians, and even conservative women who want to keep the hijab compulsory are upset.’ independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… Protesters in the Iran shrine city of Mashhad throw Molotov cocktails at security forces in the sixth night of riotous protest

Death, grief and rage: Iran erupts over Mahsa Amini, killed after arrest. My piece independent.co.uk/news/world/mid… Today the Iranian reformist website @rouydad24ir published an extraordinary interview with Mahsa Amini’s grieving father. He says her daughter was beaten by regime morality and police and her corpse showed signs of bruises. @ICHRI translates iranhumanrights.org/2022/09/mahsa-…

NEW: Ipsos projections for first round in France presidential elections

Macron: 28.1
Le Pen: 23.3
Melanchon: 20.1
Zemmour: 7.2
Pecresse: 5 OpinionWay projections

Bonkers: Saudi Crown Prince MBS paid $450 million for a “Leonardo Da Vinci” painting that experts say is fake, then pressed the French to lie about it to hide his embarrassment, says upcoming documentary forbes.com/sites/suzanner… Some more detail in this @TheArtNewspaper piece. Predictably, France’s Foreign Minister lobbied on behalf of the Saudis, urging Louvre to authenticate fake painting, but Macron ultimately refused, worried France’s credibility was on the line theartnewspaper.com/news/salvator-…

The choice is stark: lift some sanctions and save the Iran deal, or don’t lift the sanctions and earn the praise of Jared Kushner axios.com/us-struggling-… Many of us have been warning Biden for months that he would have only a small window of opportunity to rejoin the deal. This was empirical description. Biden instead listened to the people who have been wrong about everything. independent.co.uk/independentpre…

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has called FMs of (in order):
1) Canada
2) Mexico
3)Japan
4) South Korea
5) France
6) Germany
7) UK
8) NATO
9) Australia
10) Philippines
11) Thailand
12) Israel
13) Iraq
14) Afghanistan
15) EU
16) Italy
17) Jordan

No Saudi, UAE, or Egypt Wow, I would not have guessed Anthony Blinken’s next call as coming before Turkey or Egypt:

18) South Africa

state.gov/secretary-blin…