Some Iranian Officials ‘Ashamed, Embarrassed’ For Rising Poverty

Adm. Irani is the commander of the traditional navy as distinct from the Revolutionary Guard’s naval forces. The Iranian gesture showed that Tehran is the only solid ally for Moscow amid the invasion of Ukraine.

Iran has delivered hundreds of Kamikaze drones to Russia since mid-2022 that have been extensively used to target cities and infrastructures. European powers and the United States have warned Iran to stop the deliveries and refrain from supplying other weapons. Russia reportedly is seeking Iranian ballistic missiles.

Forty-five ships, submarines and other vessels took part in Russia's annual Navy Day event, a traditional show of military might which takes place in the Gulf of Finland and on the River Neva in St Petersburg. Around 3,000 navy personnel also took part in a parade on land, the Kremlin said.

However, the Russian and Iranian navies are from being able to challenge Western, especially the American navy. The IRGC navy harasses commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf occasionally, but lately the United States has boosted its naval and air power in the region to deter Tehran.

Iran has been negotiating with Western powers over its controversial nuclear program since April 2021, but has refused a compromise draft agreement submitted by the European Union negotiators last August. Since then, it has intensified its military and political cooperations with Russia.

Mostafa Pourmohammadi, who served as interior minister and justice minister in two different administrations, expressed his concern on Saturday regarding the upcoming March 2024 parliamentary elections. Speaking to Javan newspaper, an outlet affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Pourmohammadi highlighted the issue of "low satisfaction" among the people, which he believes could lead to voter apathy.

Iranian conservatives have been grudgingly acknowledging that the economic crisis gripping Iran for the past five years has worsened under hardliner president Ebrahim Raisi and as a result the regime’s legitimacy might suffer.

The country witnessed significant anti-government protests between September 2022 and early 2023, reflecting a surge of anger at both political repression and escalating poverty. Even Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei faced derogatory slogans from protesters on the streets and university campuses, indicating the widespread discontent. 

“People themselves should be interested to participate in the elections, and this depends on the level of their satisfaction…We must analyze the situation realistically. Today, popular satisfaction has declined, and many government entities are responsible,” Pourmohammadi stated. However, he only singled out the Raisi administration and did not mention other centers of power.

The former intelligence minister also warned that “The young generation has distanced itself from us.” He underlined that “Low [election] turnout is a defeat for all of us,” referring to groups and individuals who support the Islamic Republic.

Security forces killed more than 500 civilians in the 2022-2023 protests and arrested more than 20,000. Hundreds received permanent injuries, including young people who lost one or both eyes to shotgun pellets fired by security forces. The harsh government reaction further eroded the public’s tolerance toward the regime.

The letter, signed by Mohammad Taqi Najafzadeh, Director of the health and treatment network in Lahijan city to the heads of local hospitals, has ignited a significant reaction on social media platforms.

In the directive, Najafzadeh unequivocally states that medical centers and health workers must abide by the hijab regulations set forth by the authorities. The letter, however, leaves the crucial question unanswered regarding the medical service protocol in emergency situations, where immediate care may be required irrespective of the patient's observance of hijab.

The publication of this directive has garnered diverse reactions, with notable figures and netizens expressing their concerns. Abbas Abdi, a political activist closely associated with the reformist movement, held both the government and the Ministry of Health accountable for endorsing such a measure. In a tweet, he remarked, "That doctor, being a government administrator, and the ministry, endorsing such an anti-human violation, amid the government's silence, should be held accountable."

Drawing historical analogies, another user likened the directive to the "darkest days of church supremacy" during the Middle Ages when religious decrees were imposed on societal matters.

Critics on Twitter also viewed this directive as a breach of the “medical oath," emphasizing the importance of providing medical services without discrimination or coercion.

Saeed Maliki, a journalist, went a step further and compared the authorities' action to that of ISIS, drawing parallels between the enforcement of hijab observance and the tactics used by the extremist group to force people to abide by its strict interpretation of Sharia law.

It is important to note that this is not the first instance where the issue of observing the hijab has affected medical services in Iran. Following the Women, Life, Freedom protests and the advent of women's movements, reports have emerged of medical centers and hospitals postponing care unless hijab regulations are strictly adhered to.

Earlier this month, an Iranian female medical staff member was subjected to a series of punishments, including performing "cleaning services," for not complying with the mandatory hijab. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on July 14 that the judicial authority of the Islamic Republic sentenced her to a ban on employment and cleaning services due to her alleged failure to observe hijab while driving.

Amidst the challenges, a segment of the medical community sought to voice civil protests against these governmental pressures. In March, following an institution's order for compulsory black veiling for women in pharmacies, some pharmacist doctors and male technicians showed their anger by wearing black veils.

The Iranian government employs such punishments with the aim of suppressing opponents of the mandatory hijab. However, reports suggest that these punitive measures have not succeeded in quelling protests, and studies indicate an increase in the emigration of Iranian doctors and nurses in recent months.

Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi’s comments come following harsh criticism from regime supporters after he criticized the internal exile sentence against journalist Marzieh Mahmoudi to Torbat-e Jam, a city in the northeast.

Jahanabadi, representing the people of Torbat-e Jam in parliament, spoke out against the decision and expressed his disdain for those who filed the complaint that led to her sentencing.

After the ultraconservatives attacked him, Jahanabadi tweeted on Saturday that "You hardliners are the most useless creatures in the world, and people do not even give a damn about you."

Hamid Rasaei a hardline cleric had complained to the court against the journalist. In another tweet, Jahanabadi expressed surprise at the ruling and criticized the basis of the complaint, stating, "A strange ruling was announced in the news, and a female journalist was sentenced to be exiled to Torbat-e Jam due to a complaint by a cleric…We prefer to be in exile for the rest of our lives but not to agree with the likes of Rasaei."

However, his remarks subjected him to verbal attacks from supporters of the regime on social media platforms.

The initial dispute arose when Rasaei, former member of Parliament, made highly offensive remarks about protesters. Marzieh Mahmoudi, in response, criticized him in a post on her own social media page, which subsequently led to Rasaei’s complaint against her.

While some have expressed concerns over people’s reduced purchasing power, the vice president rejected these claims as “baseless”.
Ayub Fasahat, CEO of the Fruit and Vegetable Markets of Tehran Municipality, revealed on Friday the profound impact of the government decision in May 2022 to slash food import subsidies. Fasahat stated, "People's purchasing power has decreased drastically, and the consumption of dairy products in the country has declined between 28 to 30 percent."

However, Mohammad Hosseini, the parliamentary liaison of President Ebrahim Raisi, challenged such statements, highlighting the need for evidence-based claims. Hosseini remarked, "Some time ago, one of the MPs said that thousands of people are killed on the roads every day, or some say that inflation is 120%. What is the basis?"

Supporting Fasahat's concerns, the Ecoiran website quoted a Central Bank source in April saying that the annual inflation rate surged to 68.7 percent.

The depreciation of the Iranian rial, which halved in value in the past year, further exacerbates inflationary pressures. One year ago, the rial was trading at around 300,000 per US dollar, while currently it stands at 490,000. This depreciation tells the story of the impact of inflation on Iran's economy, as imports become more expensive.

The economic crisis has exacerbated social discontent, particularly among the younger generation. While large-scale anti-regime protests in 2022 were primarily driven by social and political oppression, the current economic challenges are contributing to mounting popular frustration.