Iranians reject presence of Iraqi militants in flood-hit areas

Iranians reject presence of Iraqi militants in flood-hit areas

The mullahs’ regime has ordered Iraqi militias into flood-hit areas across Iran

Analysis by PMOI/MEK

April 16, 2019 - The regime in Iran, under the pretext of distributing relief to victims of the recent floods, has deployed Iraqi militants and mercenaries associated to the terrorist Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and Quds Force to flood-hit areas of Khuzestan Province in southeast Iran. This measure, despite its appearance, is aimed at quelling public anger, building up due to government inaction in dealing with the floods.

The presence of these mercenaries has actually increased public anger and frustration, and also exacerbated the regime’s internal crisis.

One day after the deployment of the Iraqi militants, known as Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces/Units), and following a scene where people protested the presence of former IRGC Basij commander Mohammad-Reza Naghdi, in Khuzestan province, the state-run ISNA news agency published photographs of Iraqi engineering units in Iran. This actually flared up a new crisis between the mullahs’ rival factions.

One state-run newspaper wrote a piece titled, “The path of Mojahedin voice in the media.”

“While the Hashd al-Shaabi is involved in delivering aid to the flood-hit areas, some local media portray an incomplete image of the Hashd al-Shaabi, as if they are here to prevent the floods from reaching Iraq,” the post reads in part.

Another report indicates that the clerical regime is using its Afghan mercenaries, known as the Fatemiyoun and associated with the IRGC Quds Force, to control the situation in flood-ravaged areas.

The Tasnim news agency, associated with the IRGC Quds Force, provided a report reading in part:

“The first group of the paramilitary Afghan Basij force, part of the Fatemiyoun Division, has arrived in Poledokhtar (Lorestan Province, western Iran) through Mashhad and Tehran.”

This is at a time when the Iranian people, including the youth and even children in flood-hit areas of Lorestan and Khuzestan provinces, are coordinating relief efforts and erecting floodgates. All the while the IRGC, which is equipped with heavy machinery and engineering facilities, boats and helicopters, refuses to use these means to help flooded areas.

A statement from the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) on Sunday revealed the repressive measures behind the regime stationing Hashd al-Shaabi and other mercenaries in the flood-hit areas.

The statement reads: While the devastating floods affect more regions of the country, such as Khorasan, Hormozgan, Kerman, and other provinces of the country, the religious fascism ruling Iran has resorted to suppressive measures against the people of these areas and preventing popular protests instead of helping flood victims.

In this regard, IRGC Colonel Shahin Hasanwand said 24 people were arrested on ridiculous charges of "spreading flood rumors" in Khuzestan province.

On the other hand, in recent days, the mullahs’ regime has transferred a large number of militants affiliated to the terrorist Quds Force in Iraq, known as Hashd al-Shaabi, on the pretext of distributing aid to flood victims, with weapons and armored vehicles to Ahvaz and other parts of Khuzestan to suppress the dissent.

The state media used a ridiculous justification to cover up the scandal of the widespread presence of Hashd al-Shaabi in the flood-hit areas, saying that the forces had gone to Khuzestan in coordination with the clerical regime to protect Iraq, especially the city of Amara, against the flood!

Moreover, according to government media, another group of the Quds Force Iraqi mercenaries, known as Nojaba, "with more than 100 light and heavy vehicles, entered the territory of Iran from the Mehran border ... " According to the same media," all managers of representative offices of Nojaba in Iraq and the Head of the Executive Council of the Movement accompany the caravan."

On the other hand, the Afghan and Pakistani militants of the Revolutionary Guards (known as Fatemiyoun and Zeinbaiyoun) have been stationed in some flood-affected areas, such as Lorestan.

IRGC General Qasem Soleimani, the criminal leader of the Quds Force, has gone to the flood-affected areas to monitor these repressive measures.