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Political Prisoner Denied Treatment in Greater Tehran Prison
The physical condition of Hamid Haj-Jafar Kashani, a political prisoner held in Tehran Great Prison, has reportedly become concerned due to being denied appropriate medical care. The political prisoner suffers from serious spinal problems, gastrointestinal illnesses, and a heart condition, but according to information received, he has not been provided access to treatment appropriate to his medical conditions. At the same time, reports have emerged of increased pressure on him following his participation in the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign and his protests against the implementation of death sentences.
Despite these circumstances, reports indicate that he has not been provided with appropriate medical attention or the necessary healthcare services. The mental and psychological condition of the political prisoner has also been described as concerning due to his imprisonment conditions and the pressures imposed on him.
For a prisoner suffering from multiple illnesses, delays in diagnosis, specialized examination, or treatment can lead to a worsening of the illness and the emergence of more serious complications. Regardless of the nature of the charges or conviction, responsibility for providing medical care to a prisoner rest with the Prisons Organization and the responsible authorities.
In recent months, he has participated in the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign and protested the issuance and implementation of death sentences. An informed source said that these activities have met with negative reactions from some officials and individuals connected to his case, resulting in greater pressure being imposed on the political prisoner.
Iran’s Regime Cuts Food Voucher Benefits Under ‘Overseas Resident’ Label
In its latest move against low-income segments of society, the Iranian regime has suspended food voucher benefits for a large number of citizens and, through text messages, has instructed them to visit government service offices to prove they are in Iran; otherwise, they will be classified as overseas residents and will no longer be eligible for the vouchers.
Many citizens have gone to these government service offices after receiving the messages, creating crowded lines of people trying to prove that they live in Iran. Even more striking is that they must also pay a fee to prove their presence.
The government’s move has sparked widespread reactions, with many social media users pointing out that even if the goal were to cut food vouchers for people living abroad, there are much simpler ways to verify residency—unless the real objective is to generate revenue from citizens while creating yet another burden for them.
The monthly food voucher allocation is 10 million rials (about $5.3) per person. The benefit is provided in non-cash form and is designated for purchasing essential goods.
A citizen who had visited a government service office in Tehran to verify residency wrote on X that amid the crowd of people trying to prove they were in Iran, a child wearing torn sandals caught their attention. The child had come with his father to prove they were not living abroad. According to the account, when the father learned he had to pay 1.4 million rials (about 14% of the voucher’s value) to register the residency verification, he said he could not afford the fee, took his child’s hand, and left the office.
The regime is generating revenue from the fees it charges people to prove their residency while also likely hoping that some citizens will abandon the process of reclaiming their food vouchers and ultimately be removed from the list of beneficiaries.
In a statement, the Ministry of Welfare said that if the head of a household is not present in the country or their residency in Iran cannot be verified, the entire household will lose eligibility for food vouchers and subsidies. However, if another household member is abroad, only that individual will be removed from the list of recipients.
According to the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare, people who received the text message have until September 21 to visit government service offices in person. Otherwise, their food vouchers will be completely canceled. The issue, however, is that the government stopped paying these benefits in August and has made restoring them conditional on verifying residency in Iran.
The state-run news website Entekhab, in a report titled “Is Residency Verification an Excuse to Generate Revenue from the Poor?”, wrote: “A citizen who needs food vouchers to cover essential living expenses first loses this support and then must visit multiple offices and pay fees to have it restored.”
The Iranian regime has no objective other than reducing its own costs and reaching into people’s pockets; otherwise, verifying whether individuals are in Iran could easily be done through the recorded data on citizens’ entry to and exit from the country’s borders.
The state-run Entekhab website also asked whether the real purpose of this process is truly “identity verification” or creating a new source of revenue by cutting food vouchers and forcing citizens to visit service offices.
The consequences of cutting citizens’ food vouchers become even clearer when considering that the government has also classified many people who travel to neighboring countries—including Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq—for work and livelihood as “overseas residents” and has cut their benefits.
A video showing crowds outside a government service office in the border town of Maku illustrates the situation. Residents say that because of economic conditions in border regions, they travel to Turkey several times a month for work and to earn a living, but their permanent residence remains in Iran. Nevertheless, their frequent cross-border travel has caused government systems to classify them as “overseas residents.”
Some low-income people are forced to sell their food vouchers for small amounts of money to cover medical expenses.
The problems surrounding the food voucher program are not limited to benefits being cut under the label of “living abroad.” Field reports published in recent weeks show that many stores have stopped accepting vouchers because of government delays in reimbursing them.
Some retailers also told the state-run ISNA news agency that they purchased goods with their own capital and provided them to consumers, while the voucher amount was deducted from households’ accounts, yet the stores still have not been reimbursed. This is despite the program’s guidelines stating that settlements should take no more than 72 hours.
Canada Sanctions Five Political and Military Officials of the Iranian Regime
The Canadian government announced on Friday, August 14, that it had imposed sanctions on five military and political officials of the Iranian regime. According to Ottawa, the move was taken in response to these individuals’ roles in actions that undermine international peace, security, and stability.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said the individuals had been designated under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations. According to the Canadian government, the actions of those sanctioned—including threatening freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz—are contrary to international law.
US Treasury Secretary: The Iranian Regime Will Be Isolated in a Way the World Has Never SeenAmong those sanctioned is Ali Abdollahi, the former commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. On August 10, he was appointed as the new chief of staff of the Iranian regime’s Armed Forces under a decree attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei. Anand said that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is vital for global trade and energy security, and that the new sanctions target individuals whose actions undermine these principles and threaten the world’s economic and energy security.
Four Other Officials Added to the Sanctions List
Canada also sanctioned Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters; Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian regime’s parliament; Shahram Irani, commander of the Iranian regime’s Navy; and Hamid Hosseini, chairman of the board and spokesperson for the Iranian Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters Union. The sanctions come as the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the main focal points of regional tensions and disputes over maritime security and energy transportation.Asset Freezes and Entry Ban
Under Canada’s sanctions regulations, conducting transactions with individuals on the sanctions list is prohibited, and any assets they may hold in Canada will be frozen. Individuals and entities subject to Canadian law, both within Canada and, in some cases, abroad, are also prohibited from making property or financial resources available to the sanctioned individuals. Those placed on the sanctions list will also be subject to a ban on entering Canada.US Treasury Secretary: The Iranian Regime Will Be Isolated in a Way the World Has Never Seen
While there are no signs that tensions between the Iranian regime and the United States are easing, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new and “unprecedented” economic measures against the Iranian regime, saying Washington will continue its maritime blockade of Iran’s ports alongside intensified financial pressure.
Speaking to the Newsmax television network on Thursday, August 13, Bessent said details of the new U.S. measures will be released next week. According to him, the measures will subject the Iranian regime to a level of economic isolation the world has never witnessed before.
U.S. Sanctions Cryptocurrency Exchange Network Linked to Iran’s regimeThe U.S. Treasury secretary said the policy has two main pillars: intensifying economic isolation and continuing the maritime blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, which he said could prevent goods from entering and leaving the Iranian regime’s ports.
Sanctions Pressure on the Iranian Regime’s Financial Resources
In recent months, Bessent has repeatedly spoken about implementing a campaign he calls “economic fury” against the Iranian regime. According to him, harsh sanctions and U.S. military operations have placed significant pressure on Iran’s economy, leaving the regime facing a severe inflation crisis and financial difficulties. In recent months, the U.S. Treasury Department has also imposed multiple sanctions on financial networks linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian regime’s Central Bank, while seizing millions of dollars in cryptocurrency linked to Tehran. Last week, Bessent claimed that the Iranian regime is facing extremely high food inflation and is even struggling to pay the salaries of its military personnel.Maritime Blockade: The Main Lever of Pressure
Alongside the intensified financial sanctions, the U.S. government has continued its maritime blockade of the Iranian regime. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that the U.S. military has the capability to maintain its naval presence to enforce the blockade “for an unlimited period.” The continuation of this blockade, particularly given the Iranian regime’s dependence on maritime routes for its oil exports, places additional pressure on Tehran’s revenue sources. U.S. President Donald Trump previously said that Washington is increasing economic pressure on the Iranian regime and would refrain from another military strike only if an agreement is reached to quickly reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian regime has set conditions for reopening the waterway, including ending the war, lifting the blockade of its ports, removing sanctions, releasing frozen assets, and compensating for war damages—conditions that the Trump administration appears unlikely to accept.Sharp Decline in Traffic Through the Strait of Hormuz
At the same time, ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply. According to data from ship-tracking company Kpler, only nine vessels passed through the waterway on Thursday, August 13. While that was an increase from five vessels on Wednesday, it remained well below the route’s average traffic level. Before the war, the Strait of Hormuz carried about 20% of the world’s consumed oil and natural gas, meaning disruptions to traffic through the waterway could have far-reaching consequences for the global energy market. However, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that over the course of one week, the United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf moved an average of about 9 million barrels of oil per day through the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that more than 20 million barrels of oil left the Persian Gulf region in a single day.Iranian Medical Student Sentenced to Death for Helping Injured Protesters
The Iranian regime’s judiciary has sentenced Sepehr Amirzadeh, a medical student and political prisoner held in Isfahan Prison, to death. Human rights sources say his assistance to injured protesters during the nationwide January protests played a significant role in the case against him.
The Human Rights Society of Iran announced on Thursday, August 13, that the details of the charges, the court’s evidence, and the full text of the death sentence against the young protester have not yet been published or made available.
However, reports indicate that the medical assistance and first aid provided by the student, who was born in 2003, to a number of injured protesters became a factor considered by government and judicial authorities during the investigation and sentencing process.
EU And 26 Countries Around the World Condemn the Execution of Protesters in IranSepehr Amirzadeh, who is originally from Ramhormoz in Khuzestan Province and lived in Isfahan, was arrested at his home in Isfahan on January 13. After his arrest, he was held for a period in security detention facilities before being transferred to the city’s prison for further interrogation. The full court ruling, details of the evidence used to impose the death penalty, and sufficient information about Sepehr Amirzadeh’s access to a lawyer of his choice and his opportunity to mount an effective defense have not yet been released. At the same time, clarification of the exact charge, the court branch that issued the ruling, the case evidence, and the status of any appeal is of particular importance. The Human Rights House of Iran emphasizes that providing medical care to an injured person, regardless of their identity or political views, is directly connected to the fundamental principles of medical ethics and humanitarian considerations. As a result, turning such activity into part of the evidence in a case leading to a death sentence raises very serious concerns about the safety of doctors, medical students, and emergency responders. The European Union and 26 countries issued a joint statement on Wednesday, August 12, condemning the execution of protesters in Iran and calling on the Iranian regime to end its use of the death penalty and release those who have been arbitrarily detained. The countries that signed the statement also called on the Iranian regime’s authorities to take meaningful steps to ensure respect for human rights and, instead of continuing repression, respond to the demands of the Iranian people.
Purchasing Power of Iranian Workers at Very Low Levels
The livelihood situation of workers in Iran has entered a worrying stage. The continuous rise in the prices of essential goods has widened the gap between household income and expenses.
According to a report published by the state-run Khabar Online news website on August 9, millions of workers are waiting for a decision by Iran’s Supreme Labor Council by mid-September. Under Article 10 of the council’s resolution, it is required to review changes to the benefits of workers covered by Iran’s labor law.
Iran’s Economy in Critical Condition, Insider WarnsThis decision has become significant as living costs have risen faster than workers’ incomes. The labor community now expects the review to result in a real increase in take-home pay. However, it remains unclear how much the September decision can compensate for workers’ declining purchasing power.
Workers’ purchasing power under pressure from food inflation
Statistics published by the Statistical Center of Iran provide a clear picture of the pressure from living costs. According to the figures cited in the report, annual inflation for the food and beverages category has reached 66%. Among essential goods, some items have seen even steeper price increases. Cooking oil tops the list with 162% inflation. Bread and cereals have experienced 122% inflation, while dairy inflation has reached 99%. The consequence of this situation is not limited to reduced purchasing power. Changing consumption patterns have also become one of the results of rising prices. Households are shifting toward cheaper goods, while lower-income families are being hit the hardest.Food vouchers; fixed support against changing prices
Food vouchers are another key issue in discussions about workers’ livelihoods. According to the state-run Khabar Online report, the amount of this support has remained unchanged from January to August this year. During the same period, food prices continued to rise. As a result, the real value of this support has declined over time. Simply put, a fixed voucher amount cannot keep pace with changing market prices. The new phase of food voucher distribution also began on August 6. Nevertheless, the main issue remains the level of support and whether it matches the actual cost of a household’s food basket. For working families, purchasing power depends not only on wages. Benefits, livelihood assistance, and the cost of the household consumption basket also play decisive roles. If these components do not keep pace with inflation, nominal income increases will have only a limited effect.Can the September decision restore workers’ purchasing power?
Vahid Hajizadeh, a labor relations expert, has emphasized the importance of reviewing workers’ benefits in light of rising living costs. The main issue now is how this review will be implemented. In recent years, Iran’s economy has seen a significant gap between income growth and rising household expenses. Under such conditions, annual wage decisions do not keep pace with the speed of price increases. If food prices rise sharply over a short period, workers’ purchasing power also declines quickly. As a result, even wage increases can lose their impact without complementary mechanisms. This situation also has social consequences. Reduced purchasing power limits household consumption, and lower consumption can reduce quality of life. The continuation of this trend also places greater pressure on the middle and lower-income classes. From an economic perspective, the issue is not simply increasing a figure on a paycheck. The main challenge is preserving the real value of workers’ income against inflation. Without such an approach, the gap between wages and living costs will continue to grow. Today, workers’ purchasing power is not merely an economic indicator; it is a measure of the livelihood conditions of a large segment of society. Inflation data show that the greatest pressure has fallen on essential goods. Under these circumstances, the Supreme Labor Council’s decision in September carries particular significance. If the review of benefits fails to narrow the gap between income and expenses, livelihood pressures will continue. For workers, the issue is no longer simply higher wages. The central issue is whether income from work can provide even a minimum standard of living.Egypt And Bahrain Condemn Iranian Regime Attacks on Oil Tankers
In a statement, Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the Iranian regime’s attack on two United Arab Emirates oil tankers while they were passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement said that the attack constituted a clear violation of international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2817, and resolutions of the International Maritime Organization.
Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry also affirmed the country’s full solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and its complete support for the measures the UAE takes to protect its security, stability, and vital interests.
The ministry stressed that the security and stability of the United Arab Emirates are an inseparable part of the national security of Bahrain and the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Bahrain also called for preventing the Strait of Hormuz from being used as a tool for pressure or economic blackmail, saying this is essential for safeguarding energy security, maintaining stable food and medicine supplies, ensuring the flow of global trade, and strengthening security, stability, and prosperity in the region and around the world.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement condemning the attack on two UAE vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and called for an end to all actions that threaten international maritime security.
In the statement, Egypt reaffirmed its full solidarity with the United Arab Emirates and called for an end to actions that endanger the security of ships and civilian facilities.
Cairo also stressed the need to respect international law to help reduce tensions and preserve security and stability in the region.
CENTCOM: 59 Vessels Linked to Iran Redirected
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says that as of Wednesday, August 12, U.S. forces had redirected 59 commercial vessels linked to the Iranian regime, disabled three vessels, and boarded two ships to inspect them and ensure full compliance with the blockade.
Following the resumption of attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the United States resumed its naval blockade against the Iranian regime on July 14. According to tanker-tracking companies, Iran’s oil exports have come to a complete halt since the naval blockade began. President Donald Trump said in a Wednesday post on Truth Social that the U.S. naval blockade of the Iranian regime is a “steel wall” and that the regime cannot do anything to counter it.An F/A-18 fighter jet launches from the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) while the ship sails in regional waters and supports enforcement of America’s 🇺🇸 steel wall blockade against Iran. As of Aug. 12, U.S. forces have redirected 59 commercial vessels, disabled 3 and… pic.twitter.com/dH4BBshoTE
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 12, 2026
Oil Pollution Reaches the Shores of Persian GulfHe stressed that the United States has full control of the Strait of Hormuz and will likely maintain it. In response to Donald Trump’s message, the Persian Gulf Waterway Management Authority—operating under the supervision of the IRGC—claimed that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and will not reopen until the Iranian regime’s conditions are accepted.
The Iranian regime has disrupted international shipping both in the Strait of Hormuz and, more recently, through its Houthi proxy forces in Yemen in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. However, vessel traffic continues at a limited level in the Strait of Hormuz and at a high level through Bab el-Mandeb. Maritime data analytics company Kpler said in a Wednesday post on X that 14 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (IRGC) : “Claims and repeated tweets by U.S. officials about reopening the Strait of Hormuz do not change reality. The strait remains blocked and will not reopen until Iran’s conditions are accepted.” pic.twitter.com/Mdat1mplJK
— DDF NEWS (@ddfmarketing1) August 12, 2026
Before the Strait of Hormuz was closed, between 120 and 150 ships passed through it each day. According to Kpler, ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb has also increased to 40 vessels, showing little change compared with normal traffic through the waterway.Chokepoint traffic rises, risks persist
— Kpler (@Kpler) August 12, 2026
Maritime traffic increased through both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb on 11 August, but higher volumes have not translated into normalisation. Hormuz crossings rose to 14, with 11 using the Iranian Unilateral Scheme and none using… pic.twitter.com/szFMq6tO4c
Oil Pollution Reaches the Shores of Persian Gulf
Oil pollution on the southern shores of Qeshm Island, which has also reached the island’s mangrove forests, has heightened concerns about environmental consequences on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, as an oil leak from a stranded tanker has also reached the coast of Oman.
Officials from the Iranian regime have not yet officially announced the source of the Qeshm pollution, but Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says preliminary evidence indicates it originated from “a foreign bulk carrier.”
Esmaeil Baghaei, the Iranian regime’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on the evening of Wednesday, August 12, that pollution had been detected at three coastal locations and across parts of the sea surface, and that it had drifted from the Persian Gulf toward the shore.
Maritime Blockade is Worse Than War, President of Iran-China Chamber of Commerce WarnsWithout naming the vessel, he said preliminary evidence suggests the pollution came from “a foreign bulk carrier” and added that all parties benefiting from commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are “responsible for compensating for the environmental damage inflicted on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.” The head of Qeshm’s Department of Natural Resources and Watershed Management said determining the exact source of the pollution depends on expert investigations and the final assessment of reports from the responsible authorities. However, the ship-tracking website TankerTrackers has claimed the pollution is most likely linked to Iran’s attack on the cargo ship Minoan Pioneer on August 3 in Omani waters, and that the oil slick subsequently drifted with the current through the Strait of Hormuz to Iran’s shores. Earlier, the state-run IRNA news agency reported that some of the oil slick had entered the mangrove forests along Qeshm’s southern coast, and that monitoring and cleanup operations had begun to prevent the pollution from spreading further. Mangrove forests are among Iran’s most important coastal ecosystems and play a vital role in preserving biodiversity, maintaining shoreline stability, and providing habitat for marine life and birds.
Oil leak reaches Oman’s coast
At the same time, Agence France-Presse reported that an oil leak from a tanker that has been stranded since June 30 after being damaged in explosions near Yemen’s coast has now reached Oman’s shores. The International Maritime Organization said it is closely monitoring the leak, while monsoon winds have delayed access to the vessel and efforts to contain the pollution. According to Omani officials, the oil slick now covers at least 390 square kilometers and has contaminated part of the coastline in the Ras Madrakah area. They also warned that the southern shores of Masirah Island may be affected. The spill threatens the Hallaniyat Marine Protected Area, which is home to valuable marine species, including rare sea turtles. Omani authorities have not yet announced the cause of the oil leak, but the British maritime security company Vanguard said the tanker had been targeted near Yemen’s coast in June. The tanker, which was carrying about one million barrels of crude oil, is reportedly part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” used to circumvent Western oil sanctions. Hormozgan’s coastline had already experienced extensive oil pollution earlier this spring. Environmental officials said at the time that the contamination resulted from an attack on the Lavan oil refinery during the 40-day war, and that oil had reached the shores of Qeshm, Larak, Hengam, and Hormuz islands.EU And 26 Countries Around the World Condemn the Execution of Protesters in Iran
On Wednesday, August 12, the European Union and 26 countries around the world issued a joint statement condemning the wave of executions of protesters in Iran. They called on the Iranian regime to immediately end its use of the death penalty and release those who have been arbitrarily detained.
According to Reuters, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, announcing the statement, said the signatories had called on Iranian regime officials to listen to the people’s demands and take meaningful steps to ensure respect for human rights.
The statement emphasizes the urgent need to halt executions and release those who have been arbitrarily detained. The statement comes amid growing international concern over the issuance and implementation of death sentences against detainees from recent protests in Iran.
EU Designates IRGC as Terrorist Organization Amid Escalating Repression in Iran
