Home Blog Page 143

Millions Liters of Gasoline Smuggled Daily in Iran

Esmaeil Mohades
-
0
Millions Liters of Gasoline Smuggled Daily in Iran

Ali Mahmoudian, head of the Iranian regime’s Alternative Fuels Association, stated that there is a 25-million-liter gap between gasoline production and consumption in the country, adding that 10 million liters of gasoline are smuggled out of Iran daily. Previously, Mousa Ghaninejad, an economist, had estimated that daily gasoline smuggling ranged between 20 and 50 million liters.  

On November 20, the head of the Alternative Fuels Association stated at a press conference that there is currently a 25-million-liter gap between gasoline production and consumption, with daily consumption standing at 135 million liters while production is only 110 million liters.  

Mahmoudian pointed out that over the past 50 years, gasoline consumption has grown by 8% annually and added, “If this trend continues, daily consumption will reach 250 million liters by 2029.”  

Mahmoudian’s remarks come as, on November 8, Naser Ashouri, Secretary-General of the Employer Association of the Refining Industry, had stated that average daily gasoline consumption in the country had reached 112 million liters, while production was between 98 and 104 million liters, resulting in a daily shortage of 8 to 14 million liters.  

Conflicting statistics regarding fuel consumption, production, and smuggling have increased in recent months. At the same press conference, Mahmoudian stated that 10 million liters of gasoline and 8 million liters of diesel are smuggled out of the country daily.  

The figure he announced is half of the lowest previous estimates.  

For years, the dominant narrative regarding gasoline smuggling in Iran has been a figure of 20 million liters daily. This 20 million liters figure has been repeatedly cited by experts and media outlets for at least the past five years until, in September 2024, Ghaninejad presented new data.  

Referring to daily gasoline distribution statistics of 120 million liters in the country, he stated, “Of this amount, only 70 million liters are actually consumed, and the rest is smuggled out of the country.”  

In recent years, fuel smuggling has consistently been one of the reasons cited by officials for raising gasoline prices.  

Past experiences with gasoline price hikes show that an increase in the frequency of news and conflicting statements about fuel consumption and smuggling often precedes price increases.  

In November 2019, following a gasoline price hike, an uprising broke out in Iran that quickly turned into nationwide protests calling for the overthrow of the regime. The Iranian regime brutally killed over 1,500 people during this uprising.  

In mid-October, coinciding with the submission of the 2025 budget bill to the parliament, members of parliament and those close to the government of Masoud Pezeshkian strongly denied any plans to increase gasoline prices.  

However, on November 14, Ali Rabiei, Pezeshkian’s Social Affairs Advisor, stated, “We are compelled to make decisions regarding the gasoline issue.”  

He said, “Decision-making on the gasoline issue is an unavoidable necessity. If the issue of gasoline does not become a social matter, it will turn into a massive social crisis.”  

Two days earlier, on November 18, Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government spokesperson, stated that “Expert discussions on energy carrier prices are ongoing within the government,” and emphasized, “The government’s plan is to prepare public opinion for possible decisions regarding energy carriers.”  

Food Insecurity Is Rapidly Spreading in Iran

Mehdi Hosseini
-
0
Food Insecurity Is Rapidly Spreading in Iran

The Research Center of the Iran Chamber reported that, according to the latest available statistics, approximately 32 million people in the country were living below the poverty line (food insecurity) by the end of 2021. This trend continues to expand rapidly due to the severe inflation of recent years.

On November 16, the Research Center examined the causes of inflation in the Iranian economy and the necessary measures to address this phenomenon under various scenarios, focusing on monetary perspectives and the impact of exchange rates.

The Iran Chamber emphasized that in economies with 20% inflation, discussions about production, investment, and economic growth are practically futile and unconventional.

According to this report, the population living below the poverty line (food insecurity) in Iran in 2017 was estimated at around 18 million, but due to inflation and shocks in 2018 and 2019, this number rose to over 26 million at the beginning of 2020.

The report highlighted the rapid expansion of the food poverty line due to severe inflation in recent years, stressing that in such an environment, discussions about investment goals and production, as well as controlling poverty and inequality, would be mere illusions.

The Majlis Research Center reported on October 24 that the poverty rate in 2023 increased by 0.4 percentage points compared to 2022, reaching 30.1%.

According to this report, last year at least one-third of the population could not meet their basic needs and lived below the poverty line.

In its report, the Research Center of the Iran Chamber stated that most economists believe that inflation in Iran is a monetary phenomenon that can be controlled by managing the money supply, noting: “Limiting the cause of current inflation in Iran to liquidity growth misleads the audience and its policy implications are very risky.”

The Iran Chamber noted that part of the chronic and persistent inflation in Iran is related to liquidity growth, citing the large size of the government, the imposition of numerous costs on the government budget, financing structural budget deficits through money creation mechanisms, the lack of an efficient budgeting system, financial dominance, and the lack of independence of the central bank as some reasons for liquidity growth in the country.

In its November 17 issue, the newspaper Ham-Mihan published a report titled “Installment Living,” emphasizing that reaching a crisis point is significant for society, stating that families have no choice but to resort to installment purchases for meat, chicken, and dairy products, which are always facing rising prices.

This report pointed out that the first six deciles of society are living under relative poverty, and with the daily rise in prices of goods in the country, it noted that in these conditions, families cannot afford to buy many of these items, leaving them with no choice but to eliminate or purchase these goods on installment.

Ham-Mihan listed rice, detergents, pasta, oil, electronic devices, clothing, shoes, bags, gold, and hygiene and cosmetic products as some of the items that have become installment purchases in people’s lives.

The report noted that alongside installment purchases, the sale of second-hand goods is also thriving, highlighting that items which might have been found next to trash bins in the past are now being sold on goods sale platforms, and the market is flourishing.

In recent years, due to the inefficiency of the Iranian regime in managing the country’s economy, numerous reports have been published about the sharp increase in poverty and the poor economic conditions of the people in Iran.

The newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad reported on August 25 that the poverty line for a three-person household in Tehran this year is approximately 20 million tomans.

This media outlet quoted economic experts as stating that approximately 26 million Iranians are unable to meet their basic needs.

The newspaper Etemad also reported in May 2024, after examining available data on poverty rates, that a 10% increase in the poverty rate over two years translates to about eight million more people living in poverty in the country.

This newspaper emphasized that the likelihood of non-poor individuals falling below the poverty line has increased, and the capacity to secure budget resources from the non-poor population has diminished.

Iran: 150 Schools in Isfahan Province Affected by Subsidence; 42 Evacuated  

Esmaeil Mohades
-
0
Iran: 150 Schools in Isfahan Province Affected by Subsidence; 42 Evacuated  

Mohammadreza Ebrahimi, Director General of Education in Isfahan province, announced that approximately 150 schools in Isfahan province have been affected by subsidence, and “so far, 42 schools have been completely evacuated.”  

According to the state-run Tasnim News Agency, Ebrahimi stated that schools in Isfahan province have also been affected by repeated subsidence incidents.  

He added that “several schools in Barkhar and Shahin Shahr counties” have also been evacuated, and schools in some other counties have been evacuated as well.  

In another report by the regime’s Etemad newspaper, Mehdi Zare, a seismologist and professor at the Earthquake Research Institute, stated in his latest assessments that approximately 11% of Iran’s total land area is affected by subsidence.  

According to the seismologist, this phenomenon affects approximately 39 million residents of Iran living in areas susceptible to this issue.  

He added that apart from Gilan province, all other provinces in Iran are dealing with subsidence.  

Zare emphasized that in Iran, the extent and rate of subsidence vary significantly across different regions. Reports indicate that nearly 25% of urban areas in Iran are experiencing various degrees of subsidence.  

The researcher also explained that about 5% of the country’s total land area is at risk of severe subsidence, while approximately 18.5 million hectares, equivalent to 11% of Iran’s land area, are affected by varying degrees of ground subsidence.  

Zare added that this issue is particularly pronounced in provinces such as Tehran and Fars, where the subsidence rate in some areas exceeds 40 centimeters per year.  

Previously, Ali Beitollahi, director of the earthquake division at the Road, Housing, and Urban Development Research Center, warned of the intensifying subsidence phenomenon, stating that all provinces in Iran face this danger and that “we have only five to ten years from now to save our cities and villages.”  

Masoumeh Amigh-Pei, head of the precise leveling and radar interferometry department at Iran’s National Mapping Organization, mentioned in June that a comprehensive subsidence database had been developed, revealing that subsidence has reached 16 major cities in Iran, with 800 cities located in subsidence-prone areas.  

According to some critical experts, misguided policies, lack of proper planning, and mismanagement by Iran’s regime in the water sector are key factors contributing to land subsidence and environmental crises in Iran.  

Thousands of Iranian Teachers Hold Protest Rally In Front of the Parliament

Hoshang Amiri
-
0
Thousands of Iranian Teachers Hold Protest Rally In Front of the Parliament

Thousands of retired teachers held a protest on Wednesday, November 20, in front of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament) and the Plan and Budget Organization, demanding the payment of their dues.  

The number of participants at Wednesday’s protest was approximately 7,000.  

According to reports, a group of retired educators at the protest objected to the failure to implement the 2021 directive on pension adjustments, which stipulated that “90% of the special rank-based benefits be included in retirement salaries.”  

The protesters chanted slogans such as “Ranking is our right/ It’s the result of our hard work” to express their dissatisfaction with the neglect of their demands. They also held up 100,000 rial banknotes (approximately $0.14) as a symbolic protest against their low pensions.  

The protesters also shouted slogans like “Teacher, cry out/ Shout for your rights” and “Three years of uncertainty/ Damn this collusion.”  

The government had promised that with the implementation of the equalization law, the pensions of retired educators would be increased to 90% of the salaries of their active counterparts in the same category.  

With this promise unfulfilled, the protesters demanded the payment of arrears resulting from the 2021 pension adjustments for retired educators.  

On Saturday, November 16, a group of retired educators had also held a protest in front of the Presidential Office in Tehran, objecting to the lack of attention to their demands.  

These protests are not the first gatherings of retired educators this year.  

Despite the promises made by the Iranian regime, the living conditions of retirees in Iran are deteriorating day by day.  

“Iran Broadcasting” And “Government Trading Corporation of Iran” Among State-Owned Loss-Making Companies  

Mehdi Hosseini
-
0
“Iran Broadcasting” And “Government Trading Corporation of Iran” Among State-Owned Loss-Making Companies  

Recent audits by Iran’s Supreme Audit Court of the 2023 budget show that the number of loss-making state-owned companies has reached 134, with the majority of losses attributable to six companies, including the “Subsidy Targeting Organization.”  

“Budget Clearance” refers to the process of examining the compliance of government financial performance with the approved budget law.  

According to Mizan News Agency, the official outlet of Iran’s judiciary, the budget law had anticipated losses for 17 state-owned companies. However, financial statements reveal that the number of loss-making companies has risen to 134, with their losses increasing nearly 17-fold.  

According to the Supreme Audit Court, an entity under the parliament’s oversight, the bulk of these losses is concentrated in six state-owned companies, which alone account for approximately 80% of the total losses.  

The Government Trading Corporation of Iran and the Subsidy Targeting Organization are the largest loss-making entities.  

Next on the list are the Iranian Health Insurance Organization and the Thermal Power Holding Company.  

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and the Armed Forces Medical Services Organization are also among the six state-owned entities with the highest levels of losses.  

The losses of state-funded entities stem from the imbalance between their expenditures and the allocated budget.  

Experts attribute the budget overruns and losses of these companies to poor oversight of their operations, lack of accountability, and financial transparency.  

These companies are largely managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with their primary mission being the suppression of the public and the prevention of growing protests.  

Statistical Center of Iran: 96% Of Victims of Registered Spousal Abuse Cases Are Women

Sia Rajabi
-
0
Statistical Center of Iran: 96% Of Victims of Registered Spousal Abuse Cases Are Women

The latest data from the the Statistical Center of Iran shows that during this spring, 16,264 individuals were examined by the Forensic Medicine Organization due to spousal abuse. Of this number, 15,764 cases, or 96%, were attributed to women, indicating that women are the primary victims of domestic violence and spousal abuse.

On November 18, the Center reported that in the second quarter of 2022, 2023, and 2024, at least 85 women and girls were killed by their husbands, fathers, brothers, and close male relatives.

This report emphasizes that femicide is one of the most severe forms of gender-based violence.

Ham Mihan newspaper recalls that the bill to ban violence against women has been gathering dust in the parliament for 11 years and has not yet been approved.

The newspaper Etemad, in July, presented statistics showing that 22 women were killed in the second quarter of 2022 by “close men,” including husbands, fathers, and brothers.

The report indicated that this number had risen in the same period in 2023 and 2024, reaching 28 and 35 women killed, respectively.

Last July, Shargh newspaper reported that from June 2021 to June 2023, on average, one case of femicide occurred in Iran every four days.

The website rouydad24 also reported on November 17 that frequent news of spousal murders and suicides has become one of the most important concerns in society.

This report notes that throughout the year, numerous news reports of women’s murders under various pretexts, such as “honor killings,” are published, stating: “A key question remains: Where is the law to protect women?”

The Women’s Security Bill was drafted about 13 years ago, and despite passing through the filters of the government and judiciary, it still collects dust in parliament.

On November 17, a campaign was launched online calling for the approval of the Women’s Security Bill, emphasizing that each year, the number of women who fall victim to oppression and injustice due to a lack of explicit legal and judicial support increases.

The signatories of this campaign recalled that Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of the Iranian regime, was urged to expedite the legal process for the bill’s approval in parliament and to take necessary actions to see it through.

In August of this year, Stop Femicide Iran, an organization focused on monitoring gender-based murders in Iran, reported that femicide in Iran increased by 60% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.

According to the data from this organization, 93 gender-based murders were recorded in Iran from January to July 2024.

The Gallup research institute, in its 2017 report, identified Iran as the angriest country in the world, placing it at the top of social violence rankings globally.

New Resolution Against Iran’s Nuclear Program Submitted To IAEA

Jubin Katiraie
-
0
New Resolution Against Iran’s Nuclear Program Submitted To IAEA

Diplomatic sources told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Western countries formally submitted a new critical resolution against the Iranian regime to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday, ahead of the agency’s Board of Governors meeting.  

Previously, the Iranian regime’s Foreign Minister had warned against submitting a new resolution, stating that such an action “would only complicate the matter further.” According to AFP, Western powers aim to condemn the Iranian regime for its poor cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog regarding its nuclear program.  

Yesterday, Reuters reported that the regime had proposed not to increase its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%, provided that Western powers refrain from adopting a resolution against the Iranian regime at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting.  

According to Reuters, in one of its two confidential reports, the IAEA stated that the Iranian regime has begun preliminary steps to implement this proposal. However, Western diplomats have described the proposal as a last-minute attempt to avoid condemnation, emphasizing that 60% uranium enrichment has no civilian justification and that the Iranian regime could easily resume this process.  

The Reuters report also notes that as of October 26, the Iranian regime’s stockpile of enriched uranium had reached 182.3 kilograms, which, according to IAEA standards, is sufficient for the production of four nuclear weapons. This is despite the regime’s consistent denial of seeking to develop nuclear weapons.  

Reuters states that the IAEA’s second report mentions that the Iranian regime has agreed to consider allowing four new inspectors into the country. However, these inspectors cannot be from those previously barred from operating in Iran.  

According to this report, the resolution, submitted by Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, condemns the Iranian regime for insufficient cooperation with the IAEA and calls on the agency to prepare a comprehensive report on the regime’s nuclear activities.  

Reuters added that the resolution is highly likely to pass, as only Russia and China traditionally oppose such resolutions.  

Reuters emphasized that the purpose of this resolution is to increase pressure on the Iranian regime to return to negotiations and accept new limitations on its nuclear program.  

Two State-Owned Automakers in Iran Increased Their Prices By 30% Overnight

Jubin Katiraie
-
0
Two State-Owned Automakers in Iran Increased Their Prices By 30% Overnight

Iran Khodro and SAIPA, two state-owned carmakers in Iran, have jointly raised the prices of their products.  

On the morning of Monday, November 18, the two automakers issued similar announcements stating that they had “adjusted” their product prices in accordance with the “Market Regulation Guideline of the Competition Council.” As a result, the government-set factory delivery prices of the two companies have increased by up to 30%.  

Reports from Iranian media indicate that following the official announcement of state-approved price hikes by the two automakers, a new shock hit the market, and prices in the open market also increased starting Monday morning.  

A parliamentarian criticized the price hikes, describing Iran’s car market as “one-sided,” and stated, “People have no choice when it comes to buying cars.” Javad Hosseini-Kia, a representative from Kermanshah in the regime’s parliament, said, “Under the current circumstances, the Industries and Mines Committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly will definitely oppose the price increases.”  

The simultaneous announcement of price hikes by Iran Khodro and SAIPA on Monday morning drew critical reactions from social media users. The companies stated that the price increase would not apply to immediate or exceptional sales plans, but buyers are concerned about the impact on their previous purchase orders.  

Previously, the automakers had sent a letter to the Vice President, requesting an increase in factory prices due to “financial losses and heavy debts.”  

The price hikes for domestic vehicles, along with the rising costs of Chinese-assembled cars by companies such as Modiran Khodro and Kerman Motor, have led to increased dissatisfaction and widespread protests among pre-order holders.  

It is worth noting that the Iranian regime has banned car imports to support these two companies affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), allowing it to sell its substandard products in the market. The lack of safety and failure to meet international standards in these vehicles result in the deaths of thousands of people annually.  

Snapback Sanctions and Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program

Sia Rajabi
-
0
Snapback Sanctions and Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program

The Foreign Minister of Iran’s regime has warned about the “critical conditions” of the one year remaining until the end of the JCPOA and the possibility of European activation of snapback sanctions. Meanwhile, several members of the Iranian regime Majlis (parliament) have suggested that the regime should move towards developing nuclear weapons.

Abbas Araghchi, the regime’s Foreign Minister, stated on the evening of Saturday, November 16, during a television program that there is not much time left for diplomacy and nuclear negotiations. He described this opportunity as “very limited.”

According to him, the JCPOA will expire in October next year, and if no new negotiations for an agreement take place, a “crisis situation” will arise.

UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which emphasizes the JCPOA will expire on October 18, 2025. This resolution lifts the nuclear restrictions imposed on the Iranian regime.

Abbas Araghchi warned that if no new agreement is reached within this year, “European countries may activate the snapback mechanism.”

The snapback mechanism, sometimes referred to as “snapback,” leads to the immediate reinstatement of UN Security Council sanctions if the Iranian regime breaches its nuclear commitments. Araghchi’s concern about the activation of the snapback mechanism and the return of international sanctions is very prominent.

These statements come ahead of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 20.

Reports indicate that European powers are seeking to issue a resolution against the Iranian regime. Abbas Araghchi threatened that the Iranian regime would respond to any resolution with “reciprocal action.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly criticized the Iranian regime for its lack of cooperation in recent reports. This agency has also pointed to unanswered questions and a lack of transparency in the Iranian nuclear program.

According to the agency’s report, the Iranian regime is enriching uranium to a purity level of 60%, which is very close to the level required for nuclear weapons production.

Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Iranian regime, emphasized “cooperation” and “clarifying ambiguities” during a meeting with Grossi.

Meanwhile, several members of theMajlis have called for a change in the nuclear doctrine.

Ahmad Naderi, a member of the Majlis, stated that the regime should move towards producing nuclear weapons.

Seyed Mahmoud Nabavian, Behnam Saeedi, Mohammad Mannan Raeisi, and Mohammad Reza Sabaghian are also among them.

Naderi claimed that this issue is the “desire of many elites and the public.” He also emphasized that “regional balance has been disturbed” and there is no solution other than changing the nuclear doctrine.

39 Majlis members also called in a letter to the Supreme National Security Council for a review of the defense doctrine and a move towards the development of nuclear weapons.

Kamal Kharazi, senior advisor to Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Iranian regime, has also referred to this issue and mentioned the “possibility of changing the military doctrine.”

The repeated use of the term “snapback mechanism” in the statements and warnings of the regime’s foreign minister indicates the depth of the Iranian regime’s concerns.

This situation complicates conditions for the Iranian regime and makes the future of the nuclear agreement more uncertain.

Iran’s Prisoners Warn of “Barbaric” Executions on Anniversary of 2019 Uprising

Hoshang Amiri
-
0
Iran’s Prisoners Warn of “Barbaric” Executions on Anniversary of 2019 Uprising

On Tuesday, November 19, the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, in its 43rd consecutive statement, announced that the Iranian regime executed 28 people in the past week. Additionally, 18 individuals were executed on November 6.  

The statement added that since October 22, the number of executions has exceeded 133, including three women and 13 Afghan nationals.  

Authors of the statement, reporting from prisons across the country, warned that on the fifth anniversary of the November 2019 protests, the issuance and implementation of death sentences, particularly for youths arrested during the 2022 protests, have intensified, amplifying concerns over the rise in such inhumane actions.  

The campaign expressed concern over the case of six defendants from the Ekbatan case. It announced that last week, six individuals, including Milad Armoon, Alireza Kafaei, Alireza Baramarzpoornak, Hossein Nemati, Navid Najaran, and Amir Mohammad Khosh Eghbal, were sentenced to death in a process fraught with contradictions and injustice.  

The statement also revealed that a political prisoner named Mohammad Mehdi, arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests, was sentenced to death by the Criminal Court of Khorasan Razavi Province.  

In another part of the statement, it mentioned that the Iranian regime executed Ahmad Alizadeh twice in Ghezel Hesar Prison in an inhumane act and publicly hanged another prisoner.  

Furthermore, Ghafar Akbari died under torture in Malekan detention center, and Seyed Alireza Razavi was executed around 20 days ago in Ghezel Hesar Prison without informing his family.  

The campaign urged the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Mai Sato, to act to save death row prisoners and hold those responsible for these executions accountable.  

It also called on the public to unite and support the campaign, becoming the voice of those on death row.  

The statement concluded by noting that while the Iranian regime has intensified repression and executions, prisoners in 25 prisons across the country continue to resist. Members of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign have protested through weekly hunger strikes for 43 consecutive weeks.  

1...142143144...3,782Page 143 of 3,782