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US Stresses Need to Curb Iranian Regime-Backed Militias in Iraq

Mehdi Hosseini
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US Stresses Need to Curb Iranian Regime-Backed Militias in Iraq

Following talks between Michael Rigas, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, and Fuad Hussein, Iraq’s foreign minister, Washington once again emphasized the necessity of dismantling militias affiliated with Iran’s regime in Iraq.

The Persian-language account of the U.S. State Department published images of the meeting and referred to earlier remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, writing that the United States “will continue to speak clearly about the need to dismantle Iran-backed militias that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, threaten Americans and Iraqis, and loot Iraq’s resources for Iran.”

These positions are being reiterated at a time when Iraq’s political developments and broader regional security concerns carry significant implications for the future of the Baghdad government and the balance of power in the Middle East. A few weeks ago, on November 11, Iraq held its parliamentary elections, but various factions have still not reached an agreement on forming the next government.

U.S. warning to Baghdad regarding militia presence in the future government

Washington had previously warned Baghdad explicitly that if any ministry in Iraq’s future government is handed to armed groups supported by Iran’s regime, the United States will not recognize that government.

U.S. support for strengthening Iraqi sovereignty and countering foreign influence

Mark Savaya, the special envoy of President Donald Trump for Iraq, stated a few days earlier in a press release that Washington supports Baghdad’s efforts to counter foreign influence, including Tehran’s influence and its proxy groups.

He emphasized the need to end the activities of armed groups operating outside the framework of the Iraqi state and said that Iraq must place all weapons under the control of the legitimate government and organize its security forces under a unified command.

The Rigas–Hussein meeting and Washington’s renewed emphasis on dismantling militias linked to Iran’s regime represent only one dimension of the United States’ current regional policy and Iraq’s internal developments. Numerous reports indicate that not only the political future of Baghdad but also regional security—and in particular the state of tensions between Iran’s regime and Israel—are increasingly tied to the role and influence of Iraqi armed groups.

Iran’s regime adopted a policy of intervention in regional countries—especially Iraq—from the outset. This policy reached its peak after the fall of Iraq’s former government, and ever since, Iraq has been a battleground between Iran’s regime and its allies on one side and the Iraqi people on the other.

Iran’s Regime Judiciary Chief Announces New Directive to Crack Down on Promoting Improper Hijab

Sia Rajabi
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Iran’s Regime Judiciary Chief Announces New Directive to Crack Down on Promoting Improper Hijab

The head of Iran’s regime judiciary has threatened firm action against institutions described as “promoters of indecency and improper hijab.” Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said punishments would become harsher and that violator businesses—such as shops, cafes, and restaurants—would be sealed for long periods. Ejei is a long-time judicial figure within Iran’s regime and is known for his role in politically motivated prosecutions.

Speaking during his trip to Yazd, Ejei said he had recently issued a directive obligating intelligence agencies to identify what he called “organized networks promoting indecency and improper hijab.”

State Cleric Blames ‘Women Not Wearing Hijab’ For Drought in Iran

He added that Iran’s police force “is legally responsible for confronting obvious crimes… when a person is officially half-naked or naked, there will be legal action in such cases.”

The judiciary chief said: “Violating businesses, such as restaurants and coffee shops, have also been notified that if actions contrary to law and Sharia occur on their premises, firm and legal measures will be taken, and it will no longer be the case that a violating business is sealed only for a short time.”

Ejei made these remarks at Yazd’s Administrative Council, one day after comments by Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran’s regime, regarding compulsory hijab and women’s attire. Khamenei is the regime’s highest authority and directly influences judicial and security policies.

The leader of Iran’s regime yesterday criticized what he called Western ideas about women’s freedom and warned media outlets not to repeat such views.

Ejei’s warning about confronting the promotion of “indecency and improper hijab” comes as dozens of regime parliament members recently sent a letter to the judiciary chief demanding enforcement of the hijab law. Iran’s parliament is dominated by factions aligned with Khamenei.

Ejei also said: “I am not saying that only coercive measures should be taken in this matter, but I emphasize that this situation must not continue.”

He also addressed ceremonies and conferences in which women do not observe the attire mandated by the regime, adding: “Regarding chastity and hijab, and the problems arising in conferences and events, we will hold the officials who issue permits accountable as well.”

Yesterday—December 3—Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran’s regime, met with a group of women and, while criticizing “Western culture,” said: “When discussing hijab, women’s attire, and cooperation between men and women, domestic media must not repeat and amplify the words of Westerners.”

At the same time, members of Iran’s parliament also warned about what they called the “growth of indecency and a nudity movement” in the country.

Ali Khamenei told state media: “The profound and effective view of Islam must be presented and amplified domestically and globally; this is the best way to promote Islam and will attract many people of the world, especially women, to it.”

One week ago, Elias Hazrati, the head of the government’s information council, confirmed that the leader of Iran’s regime had issued instructions to the government on “cultural and social matters.” Hazrati is a long-time political figure who often conveys guidance passed down from Khamenei’s office.

It is said that this directive was issued after the Intelligence Ministry sent Khamenei a report on the “status of hijab” and other social issues. Hazrati stated that the report addressed at least 23 social matters.

Inside Iran’s ‘White SIM Cards’ Scandal

Mehdi Hosseini
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Inside Iran’s ‘White SIM Cards’ Scandal

With the new update on the X platform, which shows users’ locations, it became clear that a number of Iranian journalists and political figures are using unfiltered internet access known as “white SIM cards”—a privilege available to only about 16,000 people out of a population of 90 million. In Iran, accessing platforms like X is only possible through VPNs, and the display of “Iran” as a user’s location means they are connected to the internet without filtering.

The revelation triggered widespread debate, as many white SIM card holders are the same individuals who shape narratives in the media and influence newsroom agendas. Some of them were publicly critical of the government. Among these accounts were even those that, using white SIM access, promoted the return of monarchy in Iran and expressed support for Israel. The purpose of Iran’s regime in creating such accounts has been to discredit the opposition groups such as the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) abroad and create despair inside Iran about democratic change.

X users, by posting thousands of screenshots, claimed that a significant portion of the highly active accounts promoting Reza Pahlavi and the restoration of monarchy were operating not from Europe or the United States but from inside Iran, mainly from major cities.

According to screenshots posted up to November 25, 2025, the locations of many of these accounts showed the following cities: Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz, Karaj, Qom, Ahvaz, and Kermanshah.

Some of these accounts changed their location setting to “region” after being exposed, but the original screenshots are still available. Some of these accounts have blue verification badges and as many as 20,000 followers, operating without any filtering restrictions.

Critics argue that these accounts, by posting coordinated content and extreme slogans, exaggerate support for Reza Pahlavi while undermining the main opposition movements and the broader popular uprising.

Earlier, reports by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz and the Canadian research institute Citizen Lab in October 2025 had already exposed an organized network of thousands of fake accounts and AI-generated content aimed at legitimizing Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah.

Public opinion is now asking how people who claim to support free access to information simultaneously benefit from a privilege that turns the internet into a class-based and exclusive commodity.

In the “About This Account” section on X, details such as connection method and country of activity are displayed. If the user is connected through an Android phone, their real location is recorded, which is why many white-SIM users appeared with an “Iran” location. VPN users appear with a shield icon, whereas white-SIM users show no such VPN marker. A location reading “Bulgaria” often indicates Starlink usage—a service not officially available in Iran and accessible only if activated in another country and used via roaming.

Criticism intensified when it emerged that a significant number of reformist-leaning journalists—individuals whose accounts of government pressure had long been amplified in the media—were using unfiltered internet. This contradicted their public claims of opposing class-based internet access. One example involved the sister of Elaheh Mohammadi—an Iranian journalist who served a few months in jail—who switched her account to private after her location was revealed and claimed that during the twelve-day conflict, her SIM card “was unintentionally turned white,” a claim widely doubted by users.

In the following days, state-run media defended white SIM cards. The state-run Tabnak website called the exposure of user locations a “conspiracy” and claimed it aimed to damage Iran’s media credibility and create division between the public and media elites. Other state-run outlets echoed this narrative.

The origins of class-based internet access go back to 2019, when the communications minister at the time first acknowledged the existence of such privileged connectivity. This was seen again in November 2019, when public internet was shut down for one week, yet a limited number of journalists remained active on Twitter.

A revelation by political analyst Abbas Abdi—who himself also has a white SIM card—showed that about 16,000 people have access to this privilege. Many of these individuals, who are publicly perceived as government critics, have in practice been guiding mainstream narratives in state media and on social networks. According to sources close to these groups, in private gatherings and online channels, coordinated decisions were made regarding promoting figures such as Masoud Pezeshkian, defending his ministers, encouraging election participation, and attacking opposition users and groups.

For years, a large segment of reformist-leaning journalists has enjoyed this special access. During the 2024 elections, many of the major hashtags originated from these groups, who then encouraged other users through private messages to join in. The new revelation on X merely confirmed that Iran’s information ecosystem—even among those who appear to be critics of the government—is built on unequal access to the internet. This privileged access allows a small group to shape dominant narratives, while the majority of society must struggle through filters and disruptions to reach open internet.

Washington Post: Actions of Tehran’s Leaders Are Clear Example of What Not to Do in Running an Economy

Jubin Katiraie
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Washington Post: Actions of Tehran’s Leaders Are Clear Example of What Not to Do in Running an Economy

The Washington Post, in a report about Iran’s water shortage crisis, wrote:

Iran is best known as an exporter of terror and mayhem around the Middle East, but its leaders also provide a great example of how not to run an economy. Consider the country’s decades-long dalliance with industrial policy.
The paper wrote on Tuesday, December 2, that trade restrictions and insistence on self-sufficiency have prevented Tehran from compensating for low agricultural output through imports. If international trade made countries worse and industrial policy made them better, Iran should by now have been a wealthy nation.

The Washington Post, referring to decades of industrial policy in Iran, wrote about the regime’s emphasis on “self-sufficiency” and “producing all food domestically,” noting that the problem is that water is the foundation of agriculture—and Iran is running out of it.

The paper wrote that Iran, with a population of 90 million, has a predominantly dry climate and lacks significant comparative advantage in large-scale agriculture. The government has attempted to create such an advantage by subsidizing fertilizer, promising to buy crops, and offering farmers favorable loans.

Iran’s Water Crisis is Getting Worse

The Washington Post noted that after the February 1979 revolution, the amount of irrigated land nearly doubled, adding that these policies created millions of agricultural jobs and led farms to produce crops they could not have produced without government support.

However, critics of central planning had long predicted that these policies would eventually result in water shortages.

In this regard, the state-run Mehr News Agency wrote on November 29 that due to last year’s drought, wheat production had fallen by more than 30%.

The current water crisis in Iran is not merely the result of drought but the consequence of decades of mismanagement and failed policies. Officials of Iran’s regime ignored expert warnings for years, delayed urgent reforms needed for sustainability, and are now disrupting the lives of millions through policies such as water rationing.

These policies belong to a regime that has sacrificed Iran’s natural resources and ecosystems for its political interests—and now the people of Iran are paying the price.

In part of its report, the Washington Post drew parallels between the ideological governments of Iran’s regime and the former Soviet Union, and the inefficiency they imposed on agriculture. It wrote that in a market economy, farmers, faced with water scarcity, would adopt more efficient irrigation methods or cultivate different crops.

The Washington Post added that free trade would allow farmers to offset production shortages by purchasing goods from other countries better suited for growing them. But in Iran’s regime and the former Soviet Union, agriculture had to continue regardless of circumstances, with politicians claiming it was necessary for national security.

According to the paper, the result was predictable. Today in Iran, water levels behind dams near Tehran are dangerously low, and water is being rationed.

Meanwhile, the capital is not the only place facing shortages and rationing. Some regime officials have spoken of the possibility of water rationing in Mashhad and Isfahan as well.

The Washington Post also referred to remarks by Massoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran’s regime, who had spoken about relocating the nation’s capital.

The paper noted that supporters of industrial policy often cite a few seemingly successful examples—mostly in East Asia—when arguing for greater government intervention in economic direction but emphasized that these cases are exceptions.

To demonstrate this, the Washington Post pointed to various sectors in Japan and China where industrial policies either fail or succeed only at enormous cost—costs that outweigh the benefits.

357 Dead From Air Pollution In Tehran In One Week

Sia Rajabi
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357 Dead From Air Pollution In Tehran In One Week

With the continued inability of Iran’s regime to control pollution sources, air pollution has kept many Iranian cities in a state of crisis.

Mohammad-Esmaeil Tavakoli, the head of Tehran’s emergency services, told the state-run ISNA news agency on November 30: “Of the 57,000 calls over the past eight days, 31% were related to respiratory and cardiac problems caused by air pollution. This means every three minutes one person has called 115 because of Tehran’s toxic air. In November, 22% of the 93,000 emergency missions were for the same reason. Iran’s regime still avoids closing schools and factories because it will not halt the production of even dirtier petrochemical gasoline. In the past eight days, 357 people have lost their lives due to complications from air pollution.”

30% Of Emergency Cases in Iran Caused by Air Pollution; Schools Closed In 14 Provinces

A shortage of four hundred emergency bases and five hundred ambulances

Tavakoli stated plainly: “Tehran is short four hundred emergency bases and five hundred ambulances. When one ambulance is stationed in Vanak Square, seven million people fall out of the service radius. Iran’s regime has not had the money to purchase ambulances for years, but it doubles the budget for building intercontinental ballistic missiles every year.”

On Monday, December 1, Tehran’s air quality was again in the red zone for the tenth consecutive day, and two-thirds of government offices in the capital were rendered inactive.

According to reports, from March 21 to November 25, Tehran experienced six clean days, 123 acceptable days, 106 unhealthy days for sensitive groups, 16 unhealthy days, two very unhealthy days, and two hazardous days.

Sadegh Hassanvand, head of the Air Pollution Research Center at the University of Tehran, told the state-run outlet Eghtesad120 that the power plants in Alborz and Qazvin provinces use fuels that have deadly effects on public health.

He added: “The sulfur standard for power-plant fuel is fifty, but the power plants around Tehran burn horrifying fuels with sulfur levels of thirty thousand, which are extremely harmful to public health.”

Despite the persistence of this crisis, officials of Iran’s regime have still not introduced or implemented any effective or lasting solutions to reduce air pollution in the capital or other major cities, continuing instead to rely on temporary closures and short-term decisions.

At the same time, the director-general of crisis management in Hormozgan Province announced that on Wednesday, December 3, government offices were closed due to rising cases of influenza.

In Kurdistan Province, the spread of influenza also led to the closure of schools and universities on December 3.

An Island Nation in the Pacific Ocean Enables Iran’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ to Evade Sanctions

Mehdi Hosseini
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An Island Nation in the Pacific Ocean Enables Iran’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ to Evade Sanctions

Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing sanctions-data analysis, reported that dozens of oil tankers suspected of smuggling crude for Iran and Russia have used a coastal office in the Cook Islands—located in the tropical South Pacific—to hide traces of their activities.

Next to a pizza shop in the remote Cook Islands sits the small but growing headquarters of one of the world’s ship-registration companies.

Iran’s Regime and Venezuela Are the Largest Users of Shadow-Fleet Oil Tankers

According to AFP, foreign shipowners can, without ever setting foot in this tiny palm-covered nation, pay fees to “Maritime Cook Islands,” the Cook Islands maritime authority, to operate their vessels under its flag.

U.S. sanctions data identified twenty tankers registered in the Cook Islands suspected of smuggling fuel for Russia and Iran between 2024 and 2025.

Another fourteen tankers flying the Cook Islands flag were also blacklisted in a separate UK sanctions database for the same period.

New Zealand—historically the Cook Islands’ closest diplomatic partner—responded to the report by stating that undermining sanctions-related efforts is “concerning and infuriating.”

A spokesperson for Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister, whose country maintains close ties with the Cook Islands through a “free-association” pact, said this is a completely unacceptable and indefensible divergence in foreign policy.

According to him, New Zealand has repeatedly conveyed its serious concerns over the Cook Islands’ ship-registry management in recent years.

The Cook Islands Maritime Authority, responsible for ship registration, denied any failure in due diligence or sheltering sanctioned vessels and said any such ships would be removed from its registry.

In recent years, multiple reports have documented global networks of shell companies used to help Iran evade international oil sanctions.

In one example, the Financial Times, in August, identified an Iranian broker named Saeed Alikhani and presented a new picture of the illicit oil-transfer network moving sanctioned Iranian, Russian, and Venezuelan crude to China.

According to that report, thirty tankers moved at least 130 million barrels of oil—worth roughly 9.6 billion dollars—over about six years.

The shadow fleet

Western sanctions aim to limit revenue from Iranian and Russian oil sales in order to reduce funding for Iran’s regime’s nuclear program and for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

With the start of Donald Trump’s second presidential term, a new phase of the U.S. “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran’s regime began. One-third of U.S. sanctions target Iran’s shipping sector.

A shipping company based in the United Arab Emirates was accused in April of smuggling “millions of dollars” worth of fuel on behalf of Iran’s regime military in the Persian Gulf.

The company owned tankers flying the flags of Barbados, Gambia, Panama, and the Cook Islands.

These vessels are said to be components of the maritime smuggling network known as the “shadow fleet,” which evades sanctions by posing as cargo ships engaged in legitimate missions.

They hide their trail by registering in countries such as the Cook Islands, where regulatory scrutiny is far lighter. Most registries remain unaware of the vessels’ true purpose.

Many maritime registries, including that of the Cook Islands, do not publicly disclose their fees or revenues, but AFP estimated that a 30-thousand-ton tanker may pay around 10,000 dollars in registration fees.

Cook Islands budget documents show that government revenue from maritime fees has grown by more than 400% over the past five years, reaching roughly 175,000 dollars in the most recent fiscal year.

Iran Marks One Driest Autumns in Past 50 Years

Esmaeil Mohades
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Iran Marks One Driest Autumns in Past 50 Years

Ahad Vazifeh, head of the National Center for Climate and Crisis Management at Iran’s Meteorological Organization, explained the unusually low precipitation this autumn and announced that Iran has experienced “one of the driest autumns of the past five decades.” Vazifeh is a senior official within Iran’s state meteorological system.

On Monday, December 1, he described such a dry autumn as “extremely rare” in recorded climate statistics and said that after around seventy days of autumn, many areas of the country have received no rain or snow.

Iran’s Water Crisis is Getting Worse

Vazifeh added: “In nearly three decades of working in meteorology, I have never seen such a situation, and statistical data from the past five decades confirm this.”

This official from the Meteorological Organization emphasized that the unprecedented drought is not limited to Iran and that other countries in the region are also facing similar conditions.

Data from Iran’s Meteorological Organization show that the national average precipitation from the beginning of the season until November 28 has been only 3.9 millimeters, indicating an 88.3% decrease compared to the long-term average.

Earlier, several officials and experts had warned that Iran is on the verge of one of its most critical water-scarce years.

Experts say the main problem lies in the policies of Iran’s regime — from hasty dam construction to inefficient agriculture and fragmented resource management — which have pushed the country to the brink of “water bankruptcy.”

On December 1, the state-run ISNA news agency reported, citing the latest data, that water inflow into the country’s dam reservoirs has decreased by 38% compared to last year.

At present, the volume of water stored in Iran’s dams is only 32% of their total capacity, and sixteen dams in the country are less than 10% full.

Possibility of incoming precipitation systems next week and in winter

The head of the National Center for Climate and Crisis Management continued by noting that, based on weather models, precipitation systems are likely to enter the country starting this week.

Vazifeh explained that the rainfall expected to begin on December 1 in the northern coasts, as well as in the northwest and west, will not be heavy but will represent a noticeable change compared to current conditions.

According to him, another system will enter the country in the middle of next week, and by the end of that week, suitable rainfall is expected in the west, southwest, and the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains, including Tehran, and that “the northern highlands of Tehran will be completely covered in snow.”

In recent days, new dimensions of Iran’s water shortage crisis have come to light, sounding a serious alarm for people’s daily lives and for the ongoing operations of many industries.

On November 29, ISNA reported that Iran has entered one of the most complex historical periods in its water sector, and that the drying of wetlands, unprecedented drops in humidity, reduced cloud cover, and intensified land subsidence paint a worrying picture of the country’s climatic future.

97th Week of Iran’s ‘No To Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign in Fifty-Five Prisons

Sia Rajabi
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97th Week of Iran’s ‘No To Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign in Fifty-Five Prisons

The ninety-seventh week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign is continuing in fifty-five prisons across the country with prisoners on hunger strike. This week, marked by a sharp rise in executions, has been one of the bloodiest periods of 2025, with nearly 100 prisoners executed in a ten-day span.

Political prisoners in Iran’s prisons, referring to the approaching Iran’s Student Day (December 7), emphasized that repression, imprisonment, and executions have not been able to stop students from pursuing the struggle for freedom. They stressed that once again, universities have become targets of authoritarian attacks, and this time the political prisoner Ehsan Faridi, a twenty-three-year-old student, is facing a potential death sentence on charges of advocating freedom, placing his life in grave danger.

More Than Sixty Executed in Iran in November; Alerts Raised Over Upcoming Political Executions

The full text of this statement is provided below:

Continuation of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign in the ninety-seventh week across fifty-five prisons

We begin the ninety-seventh week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign on the eve of December 7, Student Day. Since December 7, 1953, universities have remained the beating heart and the vanguard of the struggle against dictatorship. On this day, we honor the memory of all those who lost their lives for freedom, especially students who became victims of enforced disappearance, including Saeed Zeinali, who disappeared following the 1999 attack on the Tehran University dormitory and has never been seen again.

This is one example among hundreds of students and citizens who have been victimized by authoritarian rulers — an immense injustice inflicted upon their families and grieving mothers. Yet repression, imprisonment, and executions have not managed to stop students from their pursuit of freedom. And now, once again during these days, universities have come under attack by authoritarian forces, with political prisoner Ehsan Faridi, a twenty-three-year-old student, facing a potential death sentence on charges of advocating freedom, placing his life at serious risk.

In the past week, we witnessed an expanding wave of executions, with nearly 100 prisoners executed in the past ten days, including two women. One execution was even carried out in public to spread fear among the population. With this, the number of executions since March 21, 2025, has reached 1,564 — an unprecedented figure in the past three decades, triggering global outrage against the regime’s criminal use of the death penalty.

Global Athletes Demand UN Action to Stop Execution of Iranian Boxer

Now, with this sweeping wave of executions, it is expected that the political community, student activists, and all awakened consciences will join in supporting prisoners sentenced to death and stand with the families seeking justice. They must raise the voice of “No to Executions” in every possible way so that the regime’s main tool of repression is taken away from the ruling clerical authority, clearing the path toward freedom and the people’s right to self-determination.

Political prisoners participating in the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign are on hunger strike on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, in the ninety-seventh week, across fifty-five prisons in the country.

Iran Could Standardize Mazut Fuel With The Money For 10 Missiles

Esmaeil Mohades
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Iran Could Standardize Mazut Fuel With The Money For 10 Missiles

Esmail Kahrom, a former adviser to the Environmental Protection Organization of Iran’s regime, criticized the regime’s environmental policies and said the government could solve the problem of mazut fuel quality in Iran by redirecting the money it spends on part of its missile production. Kahrom is a well-known environmental expert in Iran.

On Sunday, November 30, Kahrom told the state-run Jamarān website: “If people and their health mattered to the officials, each missile that is manufactured costs two million dollars, and with the money for ten missiles we can standardize our mazut. We do not do it because the priorities are something else.”

Use Of Mazut in Iranian Power Plants Due to Gas Shortage

He warned that the mazut used in Iran contains sulfur “seven times the global standard,” and the quality of gasoline used in the country is “not suitable.”

Contrary to earlier promises by officials of Iran’s regime, burning mazut has become an official and relied-upon option for the government in managing the energy crisis, and this practice is still ongoing.

Kahrom’s comments come amid a severe air-pollution crisis in Iran’s major cities, which has caused serious harm to public health and forced the closure of many educational centers.

The reference to the regime’s missile-building costs comes at a time when Iran’s regime is under extensive international sanctions because of its nuclear and missile ambitions.

Nevertheless, Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran’s regime, and other senior officials have stressed the continuation of these programs despite global concerns.

Sulfur in Iran’s diesel fuel is 1,500 times the global standard

Hamid Hosseini, spokesperson for the Oil Exporters Union, said Sunday that diesel fuel in Iran generates more pollution than gasoline and warned: “Our diesel has 1,500 times the global sulfur standard.” Hosseini is a well-known figure in Iran’s Chamber of Commerce.

In an interview with the state-run Didban Iran website, he added: “Out of 20 million registered passenger cars, about nine million are worn-out—vehicles whose fuel quality and performance are both substandard.”

Excessive gasoline consumption on Tehran’s streets

According to this member of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, there are about four million motorcycles in Tehran, and this fleet plays a major role in air pollution.

Hosseini also commented on the excessive gasoline consumption by vehicles in Tehran, saying: “A car should travel 20 to 25 kilometers daily in Tehran, but vehicles working for Snapp (Iran’s main ride-hailing service) or as taxis may drive up to ten times that amount each day.”

He added: “These vehicles are not up to standard and are often worn-out, producing ten times the pollution of a typical car. They may consume 30 liters of gasoline per day, while the national average fuel consumption for cars is about six liters.”

The spokesperson of the Oil Exporters Union called on the government to allocate part of the revenue from the gasoline price increase to “scrapping worn-out vehicles.”

This comes while the government of Masoud Pezeshkian, despite approving gasoline at 50,000 rials per liter, has not announced any intention to assist with vehicle renewal.

Wheat Production in Iran Down By 30% In Past Year Due To Drought

Sia Rajabi
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Wheat Production in Iran Down By 30% In Past Year Due To Drought

The head of Iran’s National Wheat Farmers Foundation, referring to an “unprecedented drought” in the past sixty years, expressed hope that wheat production would remain similar to last year. Meanwhile, the state-run Mehr News Agency wrote that due to last year’s drought, wheat production had dropped by more than 30%.

Ataollah Hashemi told the state-run Mehr News Agency on Saturday, November 29, that there has been no rainfall this autumn so far and that “the amount of precipitation has been almost zero.”

Extensive Damage to Farmers Due to Power Outages in Iran

He added that some farmers have begun planting and are waiting for rain, while others are waiting for the soil to gain enough moisture before planting.

Hashemi noted that about 80% of rainfed (dryland) wheat fields were damaged in the 2024–2025 agricultural year and added that irrigated wheat yields are twice those of rainfed fields, and last year some of the damage was compensated through irrigated cultivation.

According to the report, yield in rainfed fields is 1,200 kilograms, while the figure for irrigated fields is 4,200 kilograms. Currently, four million hectares of wheat farmland are rainfed and two million hectares irrigated.

Hashemi said: “If, according to the Meteorological Organization’s forecasts, the drought trend continues, then despite irrigated wheat cultivation, the production of this strategic crop will be in a more unbalanced condition compared to last year.”

He also mentioned other problems wheat farmers face, including the supply of imported fertilizers, the risk of locust infestations, and fuel provision.

Tehran’s Subsidence and Drying Wetlands Reveal New Dimensions of Iran’s Water Crisis

Hashemi also called on the government to pay its debt to the Agricultural Insurance Fund in order to strengthen the fund and support farmers.

A 50% reduction in agriculture’s share of water

The Mehr News Agency also noted that Iran has been experiencing drought for several years, writing: “The decline in water stored behind dams has caused the agricultural sector’s water share to drop by more than 50%.”

The agency reported: “Due to last year’s drought, wheat production fell by more than 30%, and farmers delivered about eight million tons of wheat to the government.”

Concerns over declining wheat production and financial losses among farmers come as a report by Iran’s Water Resources Management Company shows that from September 23 to November 4, twenty of Iran’s thirty-one provinces did not witness “a single drop of rainfall.”

According to the report, rainfall in Iran during this period shows a 77% decrease.

In this regard, Mohammadreza Kavianpour, head of the Water Research Institute, emphasized the need for a “change in approach” in agricultural and industrial water consumption on September 22, saying that the country must “move toward producing crops with higher added value that ensure real food security.”

He added: “People, farmers, and industries must prepare for these times. In this regard, industries and farmers must change their practices and base their models on new technologies.”

Meanwhile, government officials have so far said little about their plans to secure food supplies in the event of reduced crop production. This comes as the latest inflation report from Iran’s Statistical Center shows that point-to-point inflation for bread and cereals in September reached its highest level since July 2022, with bread inflation estimated at nearly 100%.

The state-run EcoIran website reported on November 21 that studies show monthly inflation for bread and cereals has sharply increased since December of last year, rising from around 3% to nearly 17% in July 2025 — the highest level since 2022.

In recent months, as the water crisis has intensified, officials of Iran’s regime have repeatedly blamed the public and urged citizens to “save water,” warning about declining dam reserves.

On the other hand, despite repeated warnings about water resource management, no clear or sustainable plan has been presented, and in some cases temporary province-wide shutdowns have been used as emergency measures.

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