Top commander hails defiance of US, Israel on embassy takeover anniversary

In an interview with Iran International TV, she revealed that Iranian state media has yet to confirm his death through an official announcement, leaving her family without direct evidence of what happened to him.

The German and US governments, according to Gazelle, were informed of her father’s death by Iranian officials, yet neither has provided her family with proof of his execution.

“We don’t even know where my father’s body is,” she said, underscoring the absence of clarity on his fate. “Has anyone seen his body? We have seen no evidence. The German government simply accepted the word of the terrorist regime of the Islamic Republic when they said my father was dead.”

Jamshid Sharmahd, a 68-year-old software developer and California resident, was abducted by Iranian operatives during a visit to the United Arab Emirates in 2020 and forcibly brought to Iran. Accused of endangering national security, he was sentenced to death by an Iranian court in February 2023. According to his daughter, Iranian authorities subjected her father to prolonged solitary confinement, physical abuse, and denial of necessary medications, leading her to believe that the severe treatment was intended to end his life prematurely.

Sharmahd’s family first learned of his apparent death through a report from the Mizan News Agency, a media outlet linked to Iran’s judiciary, which stated that he had "met the consequence of his actions." The report avoided the term “execution,” with subsequent coverage only mentioning an “end” to his case—a notable departure from the standard judicial language typically used in Iranian media for executions.

Legal expert Moein Khazaeli, speaking to Iran International from Sweden, noted that the judiciary's choice of words implies a break from standard execution procedures in Iran. “Media affiliated with the Islamic Republic typically use terms like ‘was executed’ or ‘was hanged,’” Khazaeli added. “The phrase ‘met the consequence of his actions’ suggests that what occurred was not even a judicial and legal execution in accordance with the Islamic Republic’s own laws.”

This raises questions if he was killed under torture or that he was denied proper medical care.

Ghazaleh Sharmahd voiced her disappointment with the international response, stating that neither Germany nor the United States made effective efforts to secure her father’s release. After hearing of her father’s possible execution, she said both governments reached out but “had nothing meaningful to say.” She criticized the lack of urgency and questioned why her family has yet to receive any evidence confirming his death.

The German government announced on Thursday that it would close three consulates of the Islamic Republic in response to the execution of the dual citizen, which Germany’s foreign minister labeled an assassination.

A US State Department spokesperson told Iran International in an email that the US stands with Germany in condemning the execution and supports Germany's decision to shut down Tehran’s consulates.

Iran’s judiciary, known for its history of strict sentencing in cases related to national security, typically conveys high-profile executions with clear statements. The departure from this norm in Sharmahd’s case raises concerns among legal experts and human rights advocates about whether due process was observed. 

In a direct message sent to Iran through the Swiss, the Biden administration warned the Islamic Republic that Israel's response to a possible Iranian attack will not be as limited as the one launched last Saturday.

"We won't be able to hold Israel back, and we won't be able to make sure that the next attack will be calibrated and targeted as the previous one," a US official told Axios.

On October 1, Iran launched its largest direct missile strike to date in the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict. In retaliation for the strike, Israel responded on October 26 with airstrikes targeting Iranian missile facilities and air defense systems, resulting in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers and one civilian, according to Iranian sources.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that "the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel) will certainly receive a crushing response."

The Israeli Army Radio, citing unnamed American officials, reported that Washington has recorded military movements in Iran in preparation for an attack on Israel.

The Biden administration estimates that Iran will respond to Israel's October 26 airstrikes, but "it is not clear when and how," Israel's public broadcaster Kan News reported Saturday, confirming the Israeli Army Radio's report about "initial movements" indicating preparations for an attack.

A NOTAM was issued on Saturday for gun firing exercises near Hamedan, Iran, scheduled daily from November 4 to November 6, 2024, between 0230 and 1830 UTC. The affected area spans from ground level up to 10,000 feet AMSL.

The NOTAM has been issued amid reports of an imminent strike against Israel; however, Tehran did not issue any NOTAMs during its previous attacks on Israel in April and October.

Esmail Kowsari, a member of Iran’s parliament and a former IRGC general, said Saturday that Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has authorized a military strike against Israel. He said the response would be much harsher than the October 1 missile barrage that saw Iran launch nearly 200 missiles at targets in Israel.

“While certain government officials may believe we should not retaliate, these individuals, whether within or outside the government, do not make the decisions… This decision for a military response to the Zionist regime was made by the SNSC. Almost unanimously, or rather all members of the SNSC have agreed on a military response by Iran to Israel” he said in an interview with a Tehran website on Saturday.

The SNSC's decision came after Khamenei was briefed on the extent of the damage from the Israeli strikes and felt that the deaths and the scale of Israel’s attack necessitated a response to avoid being seen as admitting defeat, The New York Times reported citing three officials familiar with Tehran’s war planning.

Israeli air strikes over the weekend knocked out Iran's last three Russian-provided S-300 air defense missile systems and has left the country "naked", Fox News reported citing US and Israeli officials.

The surface-to-air S-300s were the last in the Islamic Republic's arsenal after one was destroyed in an attack in April also likely carried out by Israel, Fox News quoted a senior US official as saying. The strikes were launched from US-provided F-35 jets, the official added.

In an internal phone call, President Biden's adviser for the Middle East Amos Hochstein said "Iran is essentially naked", according to the US news channel.

With the US warning of an even harsher response from Israel, it remains unclear how Iran will withstand 'unrestrained' airstrikes from the Jewish state without its Russian-provided air defenses.

The national emergency was announced on November 14, 1979 when radical students in Tehran seized the US embassy and took hostage dozens of diplomats, staff and guards.

The decision by then-president Jimmy Carter was meant “to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the situation in Iran.”

In renewing the national emergency Biden said, “Our relations with Iran have not yet normalized, and the process of implementing the agreements with Iran, dated January 19, 1981, is ongoing. For this reason, the national emergency declared on November 14, 1979, and the measures adopted on that date to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond November 14, 2024.”

In addition to the 1979 declaration, a separate national emergency was declared on March 15, 1995, addressing Iran's actions related to terrorism and weapons proliferation. This emergency has also been renewed annually, with the latest extension on March 12, 2024.

These declarations enable the US to implement comprehensive sanctions against Iran, aiming to curb its nuclear ambitions, support for terrorism, and other activities deemed threatening to international stability.

Kowsari, a former IRGC general, added that the response would be much harsher than the October 1 missile barrage that saw Iran launch nearly 200 missiles at targets in Israel.

“While certain government officials may believe we should not retaliate, these individuals, whether within or outside the government, do not make the decisions… This decision for a military response to the Zionist regime was made by the SNSC. Almost unanimously, or rather all members of the SNSC have agreed on a military response by Iran to Israel” he said in an interview with a Tehran website on Saturday.

On October 1, Iran launched its largest direct missile strike to date in the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict, which Tehran labeled Operation True Promise 2. The attack, involving more than 180 ballistic missiles fired in two waves, was presented by Iranian officials as a response to the assassinations of key figures allied with Iran, including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Iranian General Abbas Nilforoushan. Israeli officials said to have intercepted most of the missiles, reporting minimal damage to infrastructure.

In retaliation for the strike, Israel responded on October 26 with airstrikes targeting Iranian missile facilities and air defense systems, resulting in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers and one civilian, according to Iranian sources.

“The plan, timing, and objectives of this action are left to the planners,” added Kowsari.

He also dismissed recent reports from the CNN, suggesting Iran might strike before the US elections, describing them as speculations.

“We make our own decisions and conduct actions, and no one has detailed information about the timing, location, or manner of the response.”

Regarding the collaboration between Iran’s military and regional resistance groups against Israel, Kowsari said that these groups may coordinate with Iranian forces ahead of the attack.

“The resistance groups in the region are aligned with our military forces in responding to the Zionist regime. Members of the Resistance Front may have input or suggestions before the operation, and this will be considered before the final decision. Therefore, Iran's military response to the Zionist regime, in coordination with the resistance forces, is certain, and we will definitely take action,” he added.

The Resistance Front refers to the alliance of armed militant groups sponsored by Iran, including Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Houthis in Yemen, and Iraqi Shiite militias.

A video showing the student sitting in the courtyard of the university’s Science and Research Branch has gone viral on Iranian social media.

A university official later confirmed her arrest. "Following an indecent act by a student at the Science and Research Branch of the university, campus security intervened and handed the individual over to law enforcement authorities," Amir Mahjoub, Director General of Public Relations at Islamic Azad University, wrote on X. "The motives and underlying reasons for the student's actions are currently under investigation."

On the same day, Amir Kabir Newsletter, a student group on Telegram, reported details of the incident, saying that the student disrobed after being harassed for not wearing a headscarf and having her clothing torn by security forces.

During the student's arrest, she was subjected to severe physical assault, including her head striking either a car door or a pillar, which caused heavy bleeding. “Blood stains from the student were reportedly seen on the car’s tires,” the report noted.

Since the emergence of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 while in police custody over hijab violations, hardliners have intensified efforts to enforce strict dress codes for women. Despite widespread public defiance, government measures to reinforce mandatory hijab laws have escalated, resulting in the closure of businesses and the impoundment of vehicles associated with hijab offenses.

Project Noor, launched on April 13 to enforce hijab regulations, has led to a notable increase in the presence of police forces, Basij paramilitary units, and plainclothes officers in public spaces. Additionally, universities such as Alzahra University in Tehran have adopted facial recognition technology at entry gates, denying access to students whose appearance does not comply with strict hijab laws.

During his campaign, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced the proposed hijab legislation as the "Darkness Plan" and pledged to end morality police patrols and the use of violence against women for non-compliance with hijab rules.

Nevertheless, in October, Iran's Guardian Council approved the controversial Hijab and Chastity bill, which is now under parliamentary review.