Iran Burning Natural Gas From Oil Wells For Lack Of Investments

First came the news Friday morning that internet connection was shut off or significantly slowed down in Khuzestan, a development usually signaling protests in Iran. Authorities disrupt the Internet to prevent news of unrest reaching the rest of the country and abroad. It is also done to prevent protesters from galvanizing support in nearby regions.

Later came reports of a curfew in the city of Susangerd and gunshots heard in the Abuzar neighborhood. Some reports that Iran International cannot independently confirm speak of security forces forcefully entering homes and warning citizens not to join protests.

A source told Iran International that “Security forces went up to the roofs of buildings and homes and fired tear gas into the courtyards of some houses,” adding that they were trying to intimidate Susangerd residents to prevent them from joining the protests.

Apart from this general picture, there are no details about how large the protests were, possible clashes, injuries, or if the unrest continues.

Khuzestan was a hotbed of protests in May and June 2021 when for consecutive days people in many cities came into streets to demand water, amid government mismanagement of water resources and drought. At least ten people were shot by security forces in the unrest.

With the sudden quadrupling of bread prices, many Iranians expect widespread protests, since a persistent 40-percent inflation has depleted people’s finances and bread is the last food item poorer families can afford.

In response to a query by Iran International, a State Department spokesperson said, “We’re aware of the egregious case of arbitrary detention of Swedish-Iranian doctor Ahmadreza Djalali by Iranian authorities.We echo concerns from UN experts that Djalali’s case is ‘truly horrific,’ and urge his release.”

Djalali was arrested while visiting Iran on an invitation by a university in 2016 and consequently sentenced to death on unsubstantiated charges of espionage for Israel. Recently Iran threatened to carry out his execution in an apparent attempt to intimidate Sweden from convicting a former Iranian official on trial for his role in killing of thousands of political prisoners in 1988.

“Iran has a long history of unjust imprisonment of foreign nationals for use as political leverage, and continues to engage in a range of human rights abuses, which include large-scale arbitrary or unlawful detention of individuals, some of whom have faced torture and execution after unfair trials.These practices are outrageous,” The US spokesperson added.

News emerged this week that Iran has detained a Swedish tourist, in another apparent attempt to take a hostage as a bargaining chip. The state department said, “Regarding the most recent arrest, we refer you to the Swedish government.”

Article 18, a London-based organization that promotes religious freedom in Iran said on Thursday that Iranian-Armenian Christian Anooshavan Avedian was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 years of “deprivation of social rights” last month for teaching other Christians in his home.

Among his charges was "forming and running an illegal group to act against national security."

Two members of his house church, Abbas Soori, 45, and Maryam Mohammadi, 46 -- who are both converts to Christianity – were deprived of social rights for 10 years, received a fine of 500 million rials (about $2,000) and ten years of ban from membership in social and political groups as well as a two-year exile outside Tehran. They are also banned from leaving the country.

The three were arrested along with 15 other people, including Avedian’s family members in August 2020, when 30 Intelligence Ministry agents raided a gathering at Avedian’s home.

While Iran persecutes followers of the Baha’i religious community and rejects esoteric philosophies and cults, the constitution recognizes Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism – communities that have official representatives in parliament. However, churches that are allowed to operate are ethnic Christian congregations, such as Armenian and Assyrian.

These established churches are discouraged from accepting non-ethnic members.

Muslims are barred from renouncing Islam by Sharia and the punishment could be death, although the government in Iran pursues lesser punishments.

Some clerics and para-military organizations have warned that the sudden rise in the price of items such as bread could lead to protests and riots.

Meanwhile, journalists in Tehran Friday reported on Twitter that the price of bread has risen nearly five-fold in Tehran despite statements by economic officials that higher flour prices would not affect traditional bread bought at neighborhood bakeries and the rise will be limited to baguettes and other western-style rolls.

The Friday Prayer Imam of Tehran, Mohammad Hassan Abutorabi Fard, said in his sermon that the government should focus its efforts on improving the nation's livelihood. He called on the government to explain the reasons of recent price increases and to make sure people understand that the government strives to compensate the higher cost of living by introducing economic reform.

On Tuesday, in Eid al-Fitr sermons, other clerics including firebrand Ahmad Khatami promised that the economic situation will improve but did not say how. Kazem Seddiqi, another prayer leader in Tehran had also expressed concern over the consequences of rising prices.

On Friday, imams in cities including Dayyer, Bojnourd, Zahedan, Shar-e Kord, Bushehr, Kermanshah, as well as many other cities warned the government that people are suffering from rising prices of bread and other everyday necessities.

In Tehran, the commander of the students Basij militia of the IRGC warned President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday that the situation could lead to a major riot in the country. Meanwhile, prominent reformist cleric Mohammad Taqi Fazel Maybodi also warned Raisi that "if the rise in prices is not controlled Iran should wait for riots more dangerous than a revolution."

Social media users in Iran on Friday shifted from complaints about the scarcity and high price of pasta to more serious complaints and warnings about the possible impact of the rising prices of all sorts of bread in Tehran.

Somaye Naghi, an economic journalist in Tehran wrote that they sent someone from the newspaper’s office to buy traditional stone-baked bread called Sangak, but they were told that the price has increased from 60,000 rials to 250,000 rials ($1) per loaf. She pointed out that's this comes while Raisi's Minister of Agriculture had promised the day before that the price of traditional bread will not rise and it will impact "luxury western-style" rolls.

In the meantime, many Iranian journalists have interpreted Vice President for Executive Affairs Solar Mortazavi's strong defense of doing away with cheap government dollars for importing essential commodities, including flour, as a sign that the living conditions for workers, teachers, pensioners and low wage earners will dramatically deteriorate.

The government has resorted to rationing bread in some cities and the general perception is that the practice is going to be widely introduced all over the country. Journalist Ameneh Mousavi wrote on Twitter that rationing has started in Zanjan.

None of the clerics who spoke about the rising price of bread on Friday talked about the impact of sanctions apparently because they find it difficult to explain why the country is under sanctions and why Iranian officials cannot negotiate with the United States to have the sanctions lifted. They fear this will offend Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who is responsible for major decisions, including the talks with the United States.

In an interview with the official news agency IRNA published Friday, member of parliament Mohammad-Hasan Asafari claimed the Stop Iranian Drones Act (SIDA) promoted anti-Iranian sentiment across the region as a means to pressure Tehran in talks with world powers over restoring the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. “The United States should know that Iran's drone capability is non-negotiable and cannot be stopped,” he said.

Asafari is a former senior commander of the Revolutionary Guard, IRGC.

The House of Representatives passed draft legislation by 424 votes to two last Wednesday requiring the president to sanction persons and entities involved in Iran's drone development. The bill requires approval from the Senate and a presidential signature to become law.

Asafari claimed regional countries were aware that Iran posed no threat and called Israel and the US the main cause of instability in the Middle East.

Houthi forces in Yemen and pro-Iran Shiite militias in Iraq and Lebanon use Iranian drones as to attack, Suadi, American and Israeli targets.

Praising the drones Iran has developed – in their flight times, weapon capacity, and radar evasion – Asafari said Iran was ready to offer neighboring countries its knowledge and experience.

The lawmaker claimed Iranian drones could penetrate Israel's Iron Dome air defense system and carry out surveillance of US military in the Persian Gulf, but were not a threat to any country unless the interests of the Iranian people were at stake.