Its Minister of State for European Affairs Amélie de Montchalin told the French National Assembly on Tuesday: “Many people have indeed died. The authorities cracked down on the demonstrations by firing live shots, arrested thousands and cut access to the Internet.

“Given the scale of the crackdown, given the credible reports referring to the deaths of many demonstrators, we urge the Iranian authorities – and I do so here very solemnly – to respect the right to peaceful protest, to respect freedom of expression and free access to communication.”

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday said it was alarmed by Iran’s latest witch-hunt against journalists, especially photographers and cameramen. At least 11 have been arrested – above all in Tehran, Isfahan, Abadan, Gachsaran and Sarpol-e Zahab – since the start of a wave of anti-government protests on 15 November.

Iran’s regime is facing a real challenge to its existence. Despite all the unrest inside the country, the Iranian authorities are forced to continue their meddling in the Middle East.

On Wednesday media reports stated that a US navy warship seized a “significant cache” of suspected Iranian guided missile parts headed to rebels in Yemen, U.S. officials said.

This incident illustrates the continuing illegal smuggling of weapons to Houthi rebels, by the Iranian regime, which is the main cause of the civil war in Yemen.

According to officials, the USS Forrest Sherman was conducting routine maritime operations when sailors noticed a small wooden boat that was not displaying a country flag. The Navy and Coast Guard personnel stopped, boarded the boat for inspection and found the weapons.

On the other side of the Middle East, the Iranian government is secretly moving short-range ballistic missiles into the country as it looks to flex its muscle in the Middle East.

As U.S. officials said that the Iranian government and the IRGC have hidden ballistic missiles inside areas of Iraq controlled by its supported Shiite militant groups.

Shiite militant groups that control roads, bridges and other infrastructure in areas of Iraq near the Iranian border are assisting with the concealment of a stash of ballistic missiles in Iraqi territory.

Iran’s weakness in answering the demands of the Iranian people, repressing and arresting more than 12,000 and killing more than 1000 for their demands, shows that this regime is searching for a way out of its quagmires by creating more tensions in the Middle East.

The main winner of the two Gulf wars in Iraq was Iran’s regime, which gives it the opportunity to export its domestic problems to the outside.  Today, however, the peoples of the Middle East from Syria to Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen and of course Iran are calling for an end to the theocratic regime in Iran.