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The Shah’s Despotism Laid the Foundation for the Clerical Dictatorship in Iran

Mehdi Hosseini
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The Shah’s Despotism Laid the Foundation for the Clerical Dictatorship in Iran

At the invitation of Judy Sgro, a member of Canada’s ruling Liberal Party, and Mike Cooper, a Conservative Party MP—co-chairs of the Canadian Committee of Friends of a Democratic Iran—a parliamentary session titled “Iran at a Crossroads: Geopolitical Changes and Human Rights Realities” was held. The meeting was attended by Canadian MPs, senators, and representatives of the Iranian-Canadian community.

Judy Sgro spoke about her support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), saying that the council “provides accurate and comprehensive information about Iran—whether on human rights, nuclear issues, or regional destabilization.” She added that this credibility has allowed the NCRI “to unite a broad spectrum of political voices around this goal.”

Opening the session, Michael Cooper noted that recent months had seen both a sharp increase in executions and a significant weakening of Tehran’s regional influence. He referred to new United Nations sanctions and the reactivation of the “snapback” mechanism by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom under the JCPOA framework. At home, he said, decades of corruption and mismanagement had pushed millions of Iranians below the poverty line, with inflation and power shortages now part of daily life. More than a thousand executions have reportedly taken place in the first nine months of 2025.

Guest speaker Senator Robert Torricelli, a former U.S. senator and long-time advocate for human rights in Iran, gave an extensive overview of Tehran’s domestic repression, its international posture, and the shortcomings of Western policy. He said Western governments bore historical responsibility for supporting the Shah’s dictatorship, which paved the way for clerical rule, and now had a duty to help end this cycle of despotism.

Torricelli recalled that the 1979 revolution had been intended to establish democracy and improve living standards but was “stolen” by the clerical establishment. Today, he said, the Iranian Resistance has become a global movement committed to democratic values, including gender equality, free elections, and peaceful coexistence with neighboring states. He warned against efforts to promote monarchist restoration as an alternative, arguing that portraying the choice as “mullahs or monarchs” serves only the interests of the current rulers.

“The NCRI and the PMOI,” he said, “have articulated a non-nuclear, democratic vision that aligns with universal principles of governance and human rights — the very outcome the world should support.”

Iranian Regime President Issues Belated Water Shortage Warning—The Reality Is Even More Terrifying

Hoshang Amiri
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Iranian Regime President Issues Belated Water Shortage Warning—The Reality Is Even More Terrifying

The head of Iran’s Water Industry Federation emphasized that Tehran’s water situation is worsening exponentially, warning that the capital’s water condition is “more concerning” than Iranian regime president Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent remarks about the need to evacuate Tehran and “more terrifying” than official statistics indicate.

Reza Haji Karim, in an interview with the state-run Didban Iran website published on Saturday, November 8, said: “The reality is that Tehran’s water situation is as bad and even more alarming than what the president warned about.”

The Karaj Dam’s Reservoir Can Only Supply Tehran’s Drinking Water for Two Weeks

The head of the Water Industry Federation stressed: “This warning has come very late.”

On November 6, Masoud Pezeshkian warned that if it does not rain by late November, water in Tehran will be rationed, and if the drought continues, the city must be evacuated.

Amid the ongoing water crisis across many provinces in Iran, Mohsen Ardakani, the director-general of Tehran’s Water and Wastewater Company, described the capital’s water status as “critical and concerning.”

The head of the Water Industry Federation, referring to the “severe depletion of Tehran’s groundwater reservoirs,” added: “Currently, 62% of Tehran’s water supply comes from underground sources and 38% from surface water, which is almost exhausted or nearing depletion.”

Haji Karim also questioned the statistics on Tehran’s dam reserves, saying: “The figure that states only 5% of the water reserves in the dams supplying Tehran remains is not very accurate — the reality is somewhat more terrifying than the official numbers.”

While some Iranian media outlets have reported unofficial water rationing in Tehran, the head of the Water Industry Federation said: “This should have started much earlier. We had repeatedly requested in meetings with national water officials that water rationing in Tehran begin sooner, though this measure comes with its own challenges.”

He added that by rationing, he meant that “water, like electricity, should be cut off at specific times of the day, district by district.”

The solutions are not feasible in the short term

Currently, various solutions are being discussed to tackle the water crisis, such as water recycling systems, changing consumption patterns, using water-saving devices, public education, and reducing agricultural water use.

The head of the Water Industry Federation stressed: “These measures cannot be implemented in the short term, but some could show results within a few months.”

He explained: “For example, in densely populated areas, wastewater can be recycled and reused for various purposes such as green spaces, cooling towers, or toilet flushing. In the medium term, revising agricultural policies can help reduce water consumption in that sector.”

Haji Karim continued: “The ultimate solution is to prevent 30 million cubic meters of Tehran’s water from being used for construction or non-essential purposes. Drinking water should not be used for toilet flushing, and the province of Tehran should not consume 1.8 billion cubic meters of water for agriculture.”

The water transfer policy has failed

In recent months, Iran’s regime announced plans to transfer water from other regions to Tehran, but the head of the Water Industry Federation emphasized: “In principle, water transfer policies have failed.”

He added: “Unfortunately, some officials believe this project could save Tehran, but even Taleghan itself depends on rainfall. Naturally, when there’s no rain in Taleghan, there’s no water to fill the dam. The Taleghan Dam is now facing complete dryness.”

Criticism over Tehran’s decaying water infrastructure

Pezeshkian’s comments about water rationing in Tehran if it doesn’t rain in November and the possible evacuation of the capital have sparked criticism from media outlets, including those aligned with the regime’s opposition factions.

In the latest criticism, Hamed Pak-Tinat, founder of the Association of Economic Activists, wrote in an Instagram post criticizing Pezeshkian’s remarks: “Instead of holding useless meetings with the Meteorological Organization and relying on rain, find $200 million—maybe from the budget of one of those meaningless cultural centers—and spend it on repairing Tehran’s decaying water pipes.”

In August of last year, Ali Beytollahi, head of the earthquake department at the Road, Housing, and Urban Development Research Center, said: “About 40% of the country’s drinking water network is very old and practically worn out.”

He added: “Thirty percent of major ground sinkholes have originated from ruptured water pipes and powerful water leaks.”

According to a report by the Ministry of Energy published last year, the volume of leaked and unaccounted-for water nationwide amounts to about 1.9 billion cubic meters annually, equivalent to the yearly water consumption of about 26 million urban residents.

In Tehran alone, water losses from transmission network leaks are estimated at about 130 million cubic meters, roughly twice the volume of Lake Chitgar.

Over the past decades, Iran’s regime’s water management system has neglected investment in infrastructure, despite repeated expert warnings, focusing instead on dam construction and deep well drilling while reducing the water shortage issue merely to a lack of rainfall.

Meanwhile, regime officials, following superstitious and ideological approaches, have absurdly blamed droughts and water crises on women’s non-compliance with the mandatory hijab.

Global Athletes Demand UN Action to Stop Execution of Iranian Boxer

Sia Rajabi
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Global Athletes Demand UN Action to Stop Execution of Iranian Boxer

A group of prominent international and Iranian athletes issued a joint statement addressed to the United Nations, international sports federations, and governments, calling for the urgent rescue of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach, whose execution they said is imminent.

Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani has been sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth through arson and destruction of public property.”

Babak Paknia, the attorney for Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, who was among the protesters in November 2019, stated that his client’s death sentence has been upheld by Branch 9 of Iran’s Supreme Court, despite “numerous flaws” in the case.

Iran’s Regime Sentences 54 “Political and Security” Prisoners to Death

The statement was signed by a group of prominent athletes, including Martina Navrátilová, former world number one tennis player from the United States; Sharron Davies, British Olympic medalist swimmer; Riley Gaines, American swimmer and twelve-time U.S. national champion; Craig Andrew Foster, former captain of Australia’s national soccer team; and Bahram Mavedat, former goalkeeper of Iran’s national soccer team, along with other renowned sports figures.

“We, athletes and sports figures from around the world, strongly condemn the Iranian regime’s decision on 4 October 2025 to uphold the death sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach from Mashhad,” the letter writes.

In their statement, they strongly condemned the Iranian regime’s October 4, 2025 decision to uphold the execution sentence of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, a 30-year-old boxing champion and coach from Mashhad.

They emphasized that Mohammad Javad has spent over five years in prison under torture and solitary confinement, solely for participating in the pro-democracy protests of 2019 and for supporting the democratic opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

The statement adds that his case is not the only tragedy. The Iranian regime has a dark record of executing athletes for their beliefs. These include Habib Khabiri, former captain of Iran’s national soccer team, and Forouzan Abdi, captain of the women’s national volleyball team, the latter of whom was executed in the 1988 massacre alongside 30,000 political prisoners. In 2020, Iranian wrestling champion Navid Afkari was also hanged after participating in peaceful protests in 2018.

The signatory athletes also stressed that in recent months, Iranian regime authorities have executed many other protesters on similarly baseless charges, without any accountability. These political executions are a brutal attempt by the regime to intimidate and silence a population no longer willing to tolerate a corrupt and oppressive rule. Sport should inspire hope, unity, and courage. Executing an athlete for his political views is a direct attack on these values and a warning to every athlete who dares to speak out.

They called on the United Nations, international sports federations, and governments to take immediate action to save the life of Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani. The world must not stay silent while the voices of Iran’s champions are silenced.

The signatories of this statement are as follows:

Martina Navrátilová (Czech Republic / United States); former world number one tennis player
Sharron Davies (United Kingdom), Olympic medalist swimmer
Riley Gaines (United States), twelve-time NCAA national swimming champion
Craig Andrew Foster (Australia), former captain of the Australian national football team
Tracy Edwards (United Kingdom), 1990 Yachtswoman of the Year; skipper of the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race
Carilyn Johnson (United States), endurance runner; four-time U.S. national team member, winner of two gold and one silver world medals in 24-hour ultramarathons
Ali Ziaei (Canada), national Sanshou champion; member of Canada’s Wushu national team
Inga Thompson (United States), cyclist; three-time Olympian, ten-time U.S. national champion, and three-time world medalist
Kim McGinnis Russell (United States), former head coach of women’s lacrosse at Oberlin College; Member, Women in Sport Commission, World Lacrosse (2024)
Nancy Hogshead Makar (United States), swimmer; three-time Olympic gold medalist
Dr. Linda Blade (Canada), coach; national track and field champion and NCAA All-American
Bahram Modat (Iran), former goalkeeper of Iran’s national football team
Patricia Reid (United Kingdom), rower; four-time national champion, silver medalist at the Commonwealth Games
Marissa Williamson Pohlman (Australia), Olympic boxer; gold medalist at the 2023 Pacific Games
Florent Betorangal (France), martial artist; former champion of the “100% Fight” organization
André Matias (Angola), Olympic rower; double silver medalist in African Championships
Monica Aksamit (United States), saber fencer; Olympic bronze medalist and Pan American Games gold medalist
Shea McAleese (New Zealand), Olympic field hockey player; silver medalist at the Commonwealth Games
Asghar Adibi (Iran), former player of Iran’s national football team
Brendan Schwab (Australia), former executive director of the World Players Association
Milad Sharif (United States), wrestler; 2025 U.S. beach wrestling gold medalist.

Pezeshkian: If It Doesn’t Rain, Tehran Must Be Evacuated

Mehdi Hosseini
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Pezeshkian: If It Doesn’t Rain, Tehran Must Be Evacuated

Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran’s regime, warned about the water resource crisis, saying that if it doesn’t rain in December, water in Tehran will be rationed, and if the drought continues, Tehran will have to be evacuated.

During his trip to Kurdistan Province on Thursday, November 6, he added: “If after water rationing there is still no rain, then we will have no water at all, and Tehran must be emptied.”

As the water crisis continues across many provinces of Iran, the director-general of Tehran’s Water and Wastewater Company said that the capital’s water situation is at a “red” and alarming level.

The Karaj Dam’s Reservoir Can Only Supply Tehran’s Drinking Water for Two Weeks

According to official data from the Water Resources Management Company, from the beginning of the current water year (September 23) to October 25 — a period of 33 days — Iran received only 2.3 millimeters of rainfall, and 21 out of the country’s 31 provinces saw no rain at all.

With water levels in Tehran’s and Karaj’s dams dropping to their lowest in 60 years and wells in Mashhad drying up, water scarcity in Iran has reached one of its most critical stages. Despite serious criticism of the Iranian regime’s mismanagement of water resources, provincial officials speak of the need for rationing and conservation.

Mohsen Ardakani, CEO of the Tehran Water and Wastewater Company, announced on Thursday, November 6, that the capital’s surface water resources are currently in a “red and very fragile condition.”

Ardakani stressed that there has been no recorded rainfall in the new water year in Tehran, adding that this is the sixth consecutive drought for the capital, while the previous water year was the driest in the past century.

He added: “Last year at this same time, rainfall in Tehran was 20 millimeters, and the long-term average is 30 millimeters, but now it has dropped to zero.”

Behzad Parsa, CEO of Tehran’s Regional Water Company, announced on November 2 that currently only 14 million cubic meters of water remain behind the Karaj (Amir Kabir) Dam, which can supply Tehran’s drinking water for only two more weeks.

He stated that the inflow to Tehran’s dams has decreased by 43% compared to last year.

Ardakani also emphasized the need for water conservation and said that if Tehran residents could save an additional 10% on top of the 10% reduction already achieved since the start of the year, “we can overcome the current crisis.”

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

The Karaj Dam is drying up

Mehdi Maghsoudi, head of Karaj’s Water Affairs Department, announced on Thursday that only 31 million cubic meters of water remain in the 180-million-cubic-meter Karaj Dam reservoir — 50 million cubic meters less than at the same time last year — and it may “run out in a few days.”

Maghsoudi said: “The inflow to the Karaj Dam is now two cubic meters per second, while six cubic meters of water per second are being drawn from it for drinking water in Karaj and Tehran.”

He emphasized: “At this rate, we will have water for about 15 more days. We hope that effective rainfall will occur in the highlands by then because, in reality, the dam’s inflow is less than its outflow, and we are essentially using up the remaining reserves.”

Possible water rationing in Mashhad

In Mashhad, too, the water shortage is critical.

Hassan Hosseini, Mashhad’s special governor, announced that a water rationing plan for this metropolis is under consideration and that if the current weather conditions continue, regional water rationing in Mashhad will begin in early autumn.

He noted that the emergency wells dug to provide water for Mashhad are drying up one after another and that measures such as nighttime water cuts are being considered to cope with the water crisis.

Hosseini said that to complete projects such as the water transfer pipeline from the Hezar Masjed Mountains to Mashhad, 50 trillion rials (equivalent to 5 trillion tomans) in funding is needed.

Hossein Esmaeilian, CEO of Mashhad’s Water and Wastewater Company, stated on August 31 that the city is under severe water stress and that water reserves are at a minimal level.

He added: “Since 2022, Mashhad’s water reserves have worsened day by day, and this year the situation has approached a crisis.”

On August 26, Mansour Sohrabi, an ecology and environmental expert, told Iran International that across the country, dams have been built in places where they should never have been constructed, pointing to the Iranian regime’s mismanagement of the water crisis.

Iran 20-Year-Old Sets Himself on Fire Over Kiosk Demolition

Esmaeil Mohades
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Iran 20-Year-Old Sets Himself on Fire Over Kiosk Demolition

Ahmad Baledi, a 20-year-old student, set himself on fire in protest against the demolition of his family’s kiosk by the Ahvaz municipality. He suffered burns on about 70% of his body and has been hospitalized in Taleghani Hospital in Ahvaz, where his condition is reported to be critical.

The Karun Human Rights Organization reported that on the morning of November 2, municipal forces from District 3 of Ahvaz, accompanied by police officers, went to the workplace of Mojahed Baledi in Zeytoon Park and demolished his kiosk without notifying him or securing his presence.

At the time, Mojahed Baledi’s wife and their son Ahmad were present at the scene and staged a sit-in inside the kiosk to prevent its destruction. However, the agents continued with the demolition.

According to the report, the deputy for services at Ahvaz District 3 municipality “acted violently and unprofessionally,” grabbing Mojahed Baledi’s wife by the hand and throwing her out of the kiosk.

One-Third of Iranians Deprived of Basic Needs

In response to this “violent and unjust act,” Ahmad Baledi poured gasoline on himself and set himself on fire in front of the officers as an act of protest against the “injustice committed.”

According to eyewitnesses, some officers at the scene made no effort to prevent the tragedy and instead watched indifferently — even mockingly.

In recent years, there have been numerous cases in Iran of workers setting themselves on fire or committing suicide due to dismissals, harsh working conditions, delayed or unpaid wages, economic hardship, and other pressures.

In one of the most recent cases, on November 3, another Arab citizen in Ahvaz, named Kamal Baledi, took his own life due to psychological distress and financial hardship.

A kiosk that had official permission 25 years ago

The Karun Human Rights Organization reported that about 25 years ago, Mojahed Baledi obtained an official municipal license to set up a small kiosk and restaurant in Zeytoon Park, Ahvaz.

According to the organization, this kiosk was one of the few Arab-owned establishments among more than 400 kiosks operating across the city of Ahvaz.

In recent years, he had repeatedly been subjected to pressure and discriminatory treatment by some local officials, and there had been several prior attempts to demolish his kiosk.

The Karun Human Rights Organization expressed deep regret over this incident, calling for serious legal action against those responsible for this inhumane act, and emphasized that the violated rights of the Baledi family must be restored and properly addressed.

As of the time of this report, neither the Ahvaz municipality nor the police had issued any response regarding the incident.

Anonymous Hackers Tied to Iran’s Regime Targeted American Researchers with Fake e-Mails

Hoshang Amiri
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Anonymous Hackers Tied to Iran’s Regime Targeted American Researchers with Fake e-Mails

Proofpoint, a U.S. cybersecurity firm, reported that an anonymous group of hackers tied to Iran’s regime used sophisticated deception and social-engineering techniques to target academics and foreign-policy experts in the United States.

According to the firm’s researchers, the attack campaign — active between June and August 2025 — represents an evolution in Iranian state cyber espionage, where attackers combined traditional phishing techniques with legitimate remote-management tools to infiltrate sensitive targets.

Tehran-Backed Hackers Carried Out a Cyber Intrusion Against Mediators in the Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations

Proofpoint says the group used Iran-related political topics — including social changes and research into the militarization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — as lures to deceive victims.

The hackers sent seemingly innocuous e-mails containing fake health-related links, bogus OnlyOffice hosts (a document collaboration platform), and remote-management tools.

Analysts say the tactics and tooling closely resemble those used by several known Iran-linked groups, but because of a lack of definitive evidence, Proofpoint has classified this actor independently.

Investigators found the attack chain began with a simple conversation and an e-mail about Iran’s economic and political situation, followed by efforts to steal account credentials. Then links containing archive files and malicious code were sent to victims that installed remote-management software on the target machines.

In the group’s first campaign in June 2025, the hackers impersonated a Brookings Institution staffer and contacted more than 20 U.S. researchers. The technique was technically similar to previous attacks by one of the known groups. The e-mails used the fake name “Susan Maloney,” presented as a director of the foreign-policy program at the Brookings Institution (a U.S. think tank).

Victims then received a link that appeared to point to OnlyOffice but redirected to a fake Microsoft login page hosted on a health-themed domain. After one target became suspicious of the phishing page, the attackers modified the login page and used the new version to continue the attack.

Later, zipped files contained programs that launched “PDQ Connect” (a remote-control application). In some cases, another tool called “ISL Online” was also installed, which provided attackers with direct access to the victim’s system.

Proofpoint said the high similarity in methods and infrastructure makes firm attribution to a specific known organization difficult. Nevertheless, the review shows the new actor’s tactics and targets align with the established patterns of Iran-linked groups.

Researchers say the continuous targeting of Iran-related foreign-policy experts remains a priority for Iran’s regime intelligence efforts.

Iran’s Regime Executes 20 Prisoners in Three Days

Jubin Katiraie
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Iran’s Regime Executes 20 Prisoners in Three Days

The significant increase in executions reflects the regime’s anxiety over widespread protests and the people’s demands for freedom. This policy is considered an attempt to instill fear and maintain social control.

Twenty prisoners were executed in the prisons of Shiraz, Yazd, Kermanshah, Ilam, Mashhad, Kashan, Rasht, and Isfahan. These executions took place over a three-day period, from Monday, November 3 to Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

Iran’s ‘No To Execution Tuesdays’ Campaign Enters 93rd Week

Execution of 5 Prisoners in Adelabad Prison of Shiraz

On the morning of Wednesday, November 5, 2025, five prisoners were executed in Adelabad Prison of Shiraz. The identities of two of them are as follows:
– Fayez Abusheh, 43 years old, son of Mohammad Saleh, married, father of two children, and a resident of Bandarpol in Khamir County. He was accused of drug-related charges.
– Habib Zare, from Marvdasht, was accused of murder.
The other three prisoners, all of whom were Baluch, were reportedly charged with drug-related offenses.

Execution of Vahid Arman in Yazd Prison

At dawn on Wednesday, November 5, Vahid Arman was executed in Yazd Prison. He was married and from Kermanshah. He had been previously arrested and sentenced to death on drug-related charges, which he had consistently denied.

Execution of Ali Karimi in Dizelabad Prison of Kermanshah

At dawn on Wednesday, November 5, Ali Karimi was executed in Kermanshah Prison. He was accused of murder.

Execution of Qobad Olfati in Ilam Prison

On the morning of Wednesday, November 5, Qobad Alvandi was executed in Ilam Prison. He had previously been arrested and sentenced to death on charges of murder.

Execution of 3 Prisoners in Vakilabad Prison of Mashhad

The state-run newspaper Khorasan reported the execution of one prisoner at dawn on Tuesday, November 4. The paper identified him as “Majid Sh.,” 29 years old, who had been arrested in May 2021 on murder charges and sentenced to death.
The second prisoner was named Rasoul Kohzadi. He had been arrested in 2022 during a trip to Mashhad, also on murder charges, and sentenced to death. The identity of the third prisoner is still under investigation.

Execution of 2 Prisoners in Kashan Prison

At dawn on Tuesday, November 4, two prisoners were executed in Kashan Prison. Their identities are still under investigation, but they were reportedly charged with drug-related offenses.

Execution of 2 Prisoners in Lakan Prison of Rasht

On the morning of Tuesday, November 4, two prisoners were executed in Lakan Prison of Rasht. Their names are as follows:
– Ali (Yasser) Madadi, who was single and had been arrested five years earlier on drug-related charges and sentenced to death.
– Homayoun Jabari, who was also charged with drug-related offenses.

Execution of One Prisoner in Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan

At dawn on Tuesday, November 4, one prisoner was executed in Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan. He was accused of murder. His identity is still under investigation.

Execution of 2 Prisoners in Central Prison of Yazd

At dawn on Tuesday, November 4, two prisoners were executed in the Central Prison of Yazd. Their identities are as follows:
– Farzad Hosseini, who had been arrested four years ago on charges of murder and sentenced to death.
– Rasoul Karimi, who had been arrested two years ago on drug-related charges and sentenced to death.

Execution of 2 Prisoners in Adelabad Prison of Shiraz

At dawn on Monday, November 3, two prisoners were executed in Adelabad Prison of Shiraz. Their identities are as follows:
– Soheil Yousefi, 46 years old, from Bandar Abbas.
– Hojjat Abdollahnejad, 50 years old, from Bandar Abbas.

Iranian Regime’s Failure to Curb Inflation Fuels Economic Anxiety and Distrust

Sia Rajabi
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Iranian Regime’s Failure to Curb Inflation Fuels Economic Anxiety and Distrust

The state-run Mehr News Agency, citing data from Iran’s Statistical Center showing widespread food price hikes, reported that the failure of anti-inflation policies and the government’s poor communication have created a wave of public distrust and economic anxiety.

The report, published on Wednesday, November 5, stated that in recent months, price trends in the market have painted “a worrying picture” of the government’s economic policymaking.

World Bank: Iran’s Economy Continues to Shrink

According to the report, data from Iran’s Statistical Center shows that in the year ending October 2025, bread, grains, fruits, and nuts have doubled in price, while vegetable inflation exceeded 77%.

Mehr wrote that the current crisis does not merely stem from weak anti-inflation policies but from structural imbalances and managerial inefficiencies throughout various layers of the national economy.

The report also highlighted a “significant gap” between the exchange rate’s growth and the increase in commodity prices, noting that while the currency rate rose by around 30–40% in the first half of the year, most goods—including cars, food, clothing, and housing—experienced price hikes between 60% and 100%.

Under these circumstances, according to official reports, rural inflation has surpassed 53% and food inflation has exceeded 60%, deepening class divides.

The performance of regime president Masoud Pezeshkian’s government has previously been criticized by the media.

For example, the state-run Khabar Online website wrote on October 31 that “the scope of poverty is expanding,” noting that while the parliament’s Research Center had previously reported 30% of the population living in poverty, new estimates indicate an increase to 36%.

Khabar Online also referred to discussions about a “hunger crisis,” adding that given the current high inflation, “both the intensity of hunger and the number of the hungry are expected to increase in the coming years.”

In addition, Morteza Afghah, an economist and faculty member at Ahvaz University, warned in an interview on November 1 that if Pezeshkian’s government fails to control tensions, Iran will face “a major stagflation crisis,” predicting that the inflation rate may exceed 60% by the end of the year (March 21, 2026).

In this context, the state-run Rokna website reported on Wednesday, November 5, that thousands of government employees in ministries such as Agriculture, Welfare, and Education speak of “living below the poverty line.”

Rokna quoted employees of the Ministry of Agriculture saying that their base salaries range from 13 to 15 million tomans (130 to 150 million rials, roughly $130), and even with overtime and benefits, they cannot afford rent or daily expenses.

This situation also applies to workers in Iran. Currently, the minimum monthly wage for laborers under the labor law is less than 11 million tomans (110 million rials, roughly $100), and with benefits included, around 15 million tomans (150 million rials).

Meanwhile, some official labor organizations have estimated the cost of living in Iran at around 50 million tomans (500 million rials, approximately $435).

In contrast, Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government spokesperson, said on October 21 that the poverty line in 2024 was estimated at 6,128,739 tomans (61,287,390 rials, roughly $55) per person.

Her comments drew widespread criticism. For instance, the state-run ILNA news agency wrote on Wednesday, November 5, that the absolute poverty line announced by the Central Bank for 2024 (the previous year) was 11.2 million tomans (112 million rials, about $100) per person.

In part of its Wednesday report, the state-run Mehr News Agency described the government’s short-term and reactive market control policies as insufficient, emphasizing that “institutional incoherence and lack of coordination among economic agencies” are major challenges facing the government.

One issue raised in the report was instability in the supply of livestock feed and the continual rise in feed prices, leading to reduced poultry production and even the slaughter of breeding animals—“a warning sign for food security in the coming months,” according to experts.

Mehr urged the government to rebuild public perception of the economic situation, warning that otherwise, even improvements in economic indicators, without trust-building and managing public sentiment, will not lead to “the restoration of people’s psychological security and social stability.”

Following decades of the Iranian regime’s failed economic, domestic, and foreign policies, soaring inflation has severely impacted citizens’ lives—especially low-income groups—causing an unprecedented surge in the prices of essential goods.

Afghan National Arrested in Denmark on Suspicion of Spying for Iran

Mehdi Hosseini
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Afghan National Arrested in Denmark on Suspicion of Spying for Iran

Danish police have arrested a 42-year-old Afghan man in the city of Aarhus on suspicion of spying for the Iranian regime and participating in a plot to attack Jewish targets in Germany.

According to a police report published on Wednesday, November 5, the arrest took place in the suburb of Risskov, in cooperation with the Danish Security and Intelligence Service and the East Jutland Police.

Police stated that the man was arrested based on a German arrest warrant, and German officers were also present during the operation.

The Iranian Regime’s Mafia, Khamenei’s Wealth, and the IRGC’s Smuggling Operations

German prosecutors have said that the man is suspected of acting as a liaison in a network linked to Iranian regime intelligence operations.

He had reportedly been trying to procure a weapon for another individual who was arrested in late June and charged with gathering intelligence on Jewish sites in Berlin.

German media had previously identified the earlier suspect as a man named “Ali S.,” a 53-year-old dual Afghan-Danish national.

According to the German newspaper Bild, Ali secretly traveled to Iran after collecting surveillance photos and information from Jewish institutions.

The report stated that he met in Tehran with an officer of the Quds Force—the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—and handed over photos, videos, and details about potential targets, including offices and restaurants belonging to the Jewish community.

Ali was extradited to Germany after being arrested in Denmark and now faces charges of espionage and plotting an attack on behalf of the IRGC.

The newly arrested man has also been charged in Germany with “attempted murder.”

According to police, he is scheduled to appear before a court in Aarhus on November 5 to determine his provisional detention and extradition to Germany.

The Danish Security and Intelligence Service stated that this case is part of a broader pattern of Iranian regime espionage and intelligence operations against its dissidents in Europe.

According to the report, Tehran has in recent years expanded its activities to include targeting Israeli and Jewish interests.

Unprecedented Volume of Iranian Oil Lingering in Ships Due To Sanctions

Hoshang Amiri
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Unprecedented Volume of Iranian Oil Lingering in Ships Due To Sanctions

Torbjörn Törnqvist, CEO of Gunvor Group (an energy commodities trading company), announced that Western sanctions against the Iranian and Russian regimes have led to an unprecedented volume of oil being stored on ships.

Reuters reported on Wednesday, November 5, from the ADIPEC Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi, quoting Törnqvist as saying:

“This is unprecedented, the size of that. Therefore, obviously, if all sanctions would disappear, this market would clearly be quite oversupplied.”

According to him, sanctions have led to the storage of a massive amount of oil, part of which is being kept in tankers.

After Years of Concealment, Iranian Oil Tankers Have Reappeared on the Global Positioning System

On November 4, the maritime security company Dryad Global reported that Tehran exports between 1.5 and 2 million barrels of oil per day, generating around $54 billion annually, with 80% to 90% of it going to Beijing.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the General Staff of the Iranian regime’s Armed Forces, through their commercial networks in China—including oil brokers—are reportedly negotiating to obtain Chinese weapons such as missiles, drones, and air defense systems.

According to Dryad Global, Iranian crude oil is labeled as “Malaysian” and transferred ship-to-ship to Chinese refineries, particularly in Shandong province.

In addition to the Iranian regime, Russia has also been sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States over the war in Ukraine.

Global oil prices declined in October for the third consecutive month.

As the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies increase production and non-OPEC countries also expand output, concerns over an oil surplus have grown.

Marco Dunand, CEO and co-founder of Mercuria (another major energy trading company), said at the Abu Dhabi conference that Western sanctions remain a destabilizing factor in oil supply.

He added that the world may move from an oversupply of 2 million barrels per day to 1 million barrels per day.

Dunand emphasized: “Despite low global oil inventories, there is a lot of oil at sea. Therefore, oversupply is slowly building up and will likely reach the market in the coming months.”

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