The reactionary regime in Iran approved a law July 12 to “intensify punishment for espionage and collaboration with the Zionist regime and hostile countries against national security and interests.” The bill is actually aimed at framing up and terrorizing anyone who opposes the Iranian rulers’ war to annihilate Israel and the Jews there. The regime uses Jew-hatred to try to divert attention from the real cause of the economic and social crisis facing working people — capitalism and the regime itself.
Under the new law any “action against national security or interests” or “indirect assistance” that “legitimizes the Zionist regime” can be labeled as “corruption on earth,” punishable by death.
Article 4 of the law says that “sending videos or images to hostile or foreign networks is punishable by two to five years of imprisonment” and “unauthorized demonstrations during wartime” are punishable by five to 10 years in prison. Passage of the law is a sign of the regime’s fear of opposition to its rule, which has continued to grow since working people joined widespread protests in late 2017.
In the weeks before the 12-day war with Israel there were protests across Iran, including a nationwide strike by truck drivers, and rallies by retirees, bakers, nurses, oil workers and political prisoners. Within days of the war’s end, many workers were back on the street.
Fatemeh Maghsoudi, spokesperson for the Economic Commission of Iran’s parliament, announced July 9 the frame-up arrest of agents of the “Zionist regime” who caused “turbulence” in the gold and foreign currency markets. That’s a rehash of the smears that rich Jews control the world’s finances, used over decades to fuel attacks on Jews around the world.
Meanwhile, at least 24 members of Iran’s small Jewish community have been arrested, charged with having contact with Israel.