London Says Russia Providing Iran With Dangerous Military Technology

Hadi Beiginejad, member of Iranian parliament's energy commission, told ISNA website in Tehran Thursday that the country is not in a good situation in terms of water resources, adding that even the claim that 37% of dams are full may not be true.

“Based on the research I did, some reservoirs for some dams are much less than 37%,” he underlined.

On the other hand, according to latest official statistics of Iran Water Resources Management Company, two important water supply dams, namely Lar in Tehran and Ekbatan in the western city of Hamedan, have only two percent reserves.

The company also reported that among the important dams that supply drinking water, 11 have a reserve rate below 20% of their capacity.

According to the same statistics, the total water reserves of the country's dams are about 18 billion cubic meters, and on average, about 63% of the country's dam reservoirs are empty.

In the capital, however, the situation is worse and Tehran's dams with 279 million cubic meters of reserves are experiencing an unprecedented shortage in the past fifty years.

Earlier, Alireza Almasondi, Vice President of Water Resources Management Company, said 84 cities in Iran are struggling with water crisis.

Many years of drought and decades of mismanagement have led to chronic water shortages in most parts of Iran.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Corbyn said he has written a letter to Iran’s Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei urging him to reverse the convictions.

“I have been informed that at least 26 people are at risk of being executed…Many of the individuals involved have been denied fair trials, including the right: to access a legal counsel of their choosing; to be presumed innocent until proven guilty; to remain silent; and to receive a fair, public hearing,” reads the letter Corbyn published on twitter.

He also noted that there are reports that several defendants were tortured to induce “confessions”, which were later used as evidence in court.

Corbyn urged the regime to immediately reverse all convictions and death sentences of protesters and release those who have been detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

Holding fair trials, having access to legal counsel, and throwing out evidence acquired through use of forced confession were among the other things Corbyn urged the Islamic regime to do.

Iran has been the scene of nationwide anti-regime protests since mi-September. Over 500 people have been killed by security forces and more than 18,000 are imprisoned.

In a historic visit to Washington and his first trip abroad since Russia’s invasion began in February, Zelenskiy addressed the United States Congress, thanking for American economic and military assistance and saying that his country is fighting not only to defend itself but security in Europe.

The United States is preparing to deliver Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine after repeated Russia missile and drone attacks on energy infrastructure and other civilian targets. Iran has supplied hundreds of kamikaze drones to Russia that have been used in these attacks.

“If your Patriots stop the Russian terror against our cities, it will let Ukrainian patriots work to the full to defend our freedom,” Zelenskiy said. He added that Russia uses missile attacks to destroy Ukrainian cities.

“More than that, Russia found an ally in this — in this genocidal policy: Iran. Iranian deadly drones sent to Russia in hundreds — in hundreds became a threat to our critical infrastructure. That is how one terrorist has found the other,” Zelenskiy said.

Nato members have strongly condemned Iran for delivering the drones and have imposed punitive sanctions against individuals and companies involved in the production and delivery of the weapon.

The issue of Iranian drones and a growing military alliance between Tehran and Moscow have also hurt the prospects for further talks over Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of crippling sanctions on its economy.

Esmail Ghaani (Qaani), the commander of IRGC’s Quds (Qods) Force -- a division primarily responsible for extraterritorial military and clandestine operations – said on Tuesday that it won't be long before the Palestinians eventually rid their land from Israelis. 

He gave the warning at a ceremony held on the occasion of the first death anniversary of former Iranian ambassador to Yemen Hassan Irlou, who died in suspicious circumstances. 

He claimed that Israel is “desperate and under intense pressure” as 40 to 50 operations are carried out against their forces in the West Bank per day. 

Lacking a coherent argument about the recent antiregime protests, Ghaani delivered a speech full of contradictions, and people immediately started making fun of him on social media, saying he was under the influence of a stimulant drug. 

Despite the growing number of Iranian women who appear in public without the mandatory dress code, Ghaani said that “no decent woman has unveiled in public,” practically insulting a significant part of the population. His attack on women showed the degree of anger and frustration among Islamic Republic officials over the new status, when many women have challenged the regime. 

The popular rebellion against forced hijab has shaken the ideological foundations and of the regime and its perceived control over the population.

He also repeated the famous paradox often seen in the Islamic Republic rhetoric: Violence and unrest in Iran is instigated by the West, especially the US and Israel, but at the same time they are unable to do anything against the interests of the regime.

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Referring to the targeted killing of his predecessor Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone strike in Iraq in January 2020. Ghaani said the “Zionists will soon have to leave the occupied territories,” and warned Israelis to sell their houses and “leave Palestine. “ He added, “Today, we see that in the occupied territories, old Jewish figures have created organizations to [promote] leaving the occupied territories,” without citing any evidence.

No matter what is unfolding on the ground, the Islamic Republic authorities seem so clueless that they repeat the same rhetoric over and over. The entire country is gripped with the boldest challenge against the clerical regimesince 1979 and talks to revive .

The regime is also more isolated than ever in international arenas evident from its expulsion from the UN women’s body and an overwhelming unanimity to establish a fact-finding mission over its rights abuses, its long-time ally China is siding with its archnemesis Saudi Arabia and its partner Russia is competing with it to sell more oil to Iran’s buyers.

All of this is against the backdrop of regular strikes and protests by ordinary people as well as the elite who are fed up with the country’s lack of fundamental freedoms and dire economic situation. But the regime’s propaganda line does not change: The Supreme Leader claims the country is a regional powerhouse, and “Western imperialism” is on decline.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks Wednesday saying he held talks with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud at a conference in Jordan the previous day.

“I had the chance to have friendly talks with my counterparts on the sidelines of Baghdad II conference...my Saudi counterpart assured me of his country's willingness to continue the dialog with Iran,” Amir-Adollahian tweeted.

Jerusalem Post reported that the Saudi foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Iranian minister’s claim comes after observers commented Tuesday that there was no breakthrough between the two countries during the one-day summit.

The Second Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership was jointly organized by Iraq and France to support stability in Iraq and the wider region where Tehran and Riyadh have backed opposite sides in proxy wars.

Saudi Arabia and Iran severed ties in 2016 and the meeting offered potential for direct talks.

“We are ready to cooperate with all countries in the region including countries south of the Persian Gulf,” Amir-Abdollahian said. In his address, the Saudi minister pledged support for Baghdad but made no reference to relations with Iran.

Tehran has intensified its rhetoric against Riyadh since the eruption of protests in Iran with the Revolutionary Guard telling Saudi Arabia to control its media and the Iranian intelligence minister warning that there was no guarantee of Tehran continuing its “strategic patience”.