Critics Say Iran’s Government Allows Corruption While Pursuing Hijab

The statement reflects deep concerns over the chronic crises that have gripped Iran in various sectors ranging from economic to political realms.

Signatories of the statement include prominent figures such as Alireza Rajaie, a dissident journalist who lost an eye in the hands of iran's security forces, Abolfazl Ghadiani, Moteza Alviri, once an ally but now staunch critic of Iran's supreme leader, and former MP Parvaneh Salahshouri, who collectively urge for immediate action to remedy the situation.

They highlighted recent events including the execution sentence against Toomaj Salehi for his protest music, which activists see as an indication of ongoing political and religious autocracy.

Furthermore, they said reports of severe punishments, such as the amputation of fingers for theft, contrast sharply with the government's leniency towards high-level corruption and violations in the regime.

The activists' statement paints a picture of the socioeconomic conditions, highlighting that no substantial progress has been made to alleviate inflation, corruption, or the recession as over one third of Iranians are now living under the poverty line.

According to official statistics, Iran now ranks as the eighth country globally with the highest misery index and fares poorly in international happiness and economic growth metrics. The statement emphasizes the plight of ordinary Iranians, citing that a worker would need over two centuries to afford an apartment in Tehran, underlining the severity of the economic disparities.

The signatories called for a step-by-step structural transition and a comprehensive re-evaluation of policies to address the crises holistically, urging for the establishment of professional and academic organizations within civil society.

“Unfortunately, there has been a lot of government interference at the universities. The power of the Ministry of Science has diminished and it seems it is the Interior Ministry that gives orders to universities,” said Karen Abrinia Saturday in an interview with relatively independent news website Khabaronline.

According to Abrinia, around 200 university professors faced “restrictions” last year, 25 of whom were fired from their positions over their support for the 2022 nationwide uprising triggered by the death in morality-police custody of Mahsa Amini.

Some university professors were sacked, some were denied tenure or annual promotion, and for some, their salaries were suspended, he remarked, further adding that these actions targeted those who supported the 2022 protests by “signing statements or publicly declaring their positions.”

Abrinia stated that many of these professors have been told that they can go back to work only if they “sign a letter of repentance and express their regret” over their past positions. “The university is an institution of science and it needs to be independent … The real damage now is the loss of autonomy from universities,” he pointed out.

All these pressures, coupled with low wages and poor economic conditions, have led to increasing frustration among university teachers, especially the young ones, and can drive them to emigrate, he warned.

In August, Etemad news in Iran released a list of 157 tenured professors who were dismissed, forced into retirement, or banned from teaching for their criticism and dissenting views from 2006 to the end of August 2023. The “purge” has gained momentum since the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom movement with at least 52 dissident university professors being dismissed, the report said.

In March, Mohammad Moghimi, the pro-regime chancellor of the University of Tehran, denied allegations of purging academics based on their political beliefs, instead accusing those dismissed of "moral issues."

A university professor specialized in Educational Sciences told Iran International that following the 2022 nationwide uprising, the universities have transformed into “prisons” and the security forces, directly and indirectly, try to monitor and control “the smallest issues related to professors, even their personal lives.”

The university is turning into a puppet in the hands of those in power who want academic institutions to exactly reflect the mainstream ideology of the Islamic Republic, said the professor who spoke on condition of anonymity.

She added that the university, as an academic institution, has always been affiliated with the state in Iran, but after the Mahsa uprising, the university has lost "all its autonomy" and even the slightest act of resistance is suppressed.

“Based on the new regulations set for the professors’ promotion, they need to attend courses about the necessity of the Islamization of universities or they will be denied tenure,” she went on to say.

The conservative website Tabnak wrote initial reports indicating that a "terrorist team" was identified and encircled by security forces on Kowsar Street in Zahedan.

However, the Fars News Agency, which is associated with the Revolutionary Guards, attributed the incident to personal disputes, though it did not provide additional details.

Halvash news which covers the province, said a more extensive security presence, including plainclothes agents, had been deployed to the scene as fighting lasted for around two hours, with a reconnaissance drone spotted monitoring the situation.

This latest incident in Zahedan occurs against the backdrop of heightened regional instability. On April 4, clashes in two southern cities of the Sistan-Baluchestan province resulted in over 20 deaths involving security forces and members of the Jaish al-Adl militant group.

In related developments, the Southeast Headquarters of the Ground Forces of the Revolutionary Guards announced the recent arrest of several individuals at a religious school in Rask. The suspects were accused of supporting the insurgent Sunni Baluch group Jaish al-Adl. The Revolutionary Guards claim the cooperation of local residents facilitated the arrests.

Jaish al-Adl, however, has denied any affiliation with those detained, condemning the arrests as "a clear lie and conspiracy." The group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Iran and several Western governments, warned of potential repercussions and advised against further provocations.

“The security apparatus of the regime must be aware that such actions are a clear provocation of the Jaish al-Adl organization…, and as such, these acts could have unpredictable consequences for our land,” read the group’s statement.

According to the Red Crescent's emergency response organization, the floods have sparked a crisis that spans much of the country.

The Meteorological Organization of Iran warned of a new wave of precipitation starting Sunday and spreading to multiple regions.

The latest natural tragedy comes after mid-April's rainfall which caused severe flooding and waterlogging in Sistan-Baluchestan province, destroying dozens of villages and disrupting utilities for at least 300 others. It comes when the country is already facing its hardest economic times amid ongoing social oppression. 

Social media users and local reports have highlighted a lack of emergency aid during the incidents, during which several people reportedly lost their lives. Despite forecasts that the new wave of rain might not lead to flooding, recent days have seen flooded streets and damaged infrastructure in various cities.

One of the hardest-hit areas was Shabestar county in East Azarbaijan, where floods have caused significant destruction.

In Dezful, in Khuzestan province, severe damage to civil and agricultural infrastructure has been reported, with homes and city parks submerged. The local officials have responded by closing riverside parks and ordering the evacuation of vehicles from these areas.

Video footage sent to Iran International shows severe flooding in the streets of Ahvaz, following the rainfall on Friday.

Hossein Zafari, deputy of the Crisis Management Organization, noted that floods in the provinces of Ilam and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari have resulted in livestock losses, threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of farmers.

The provinces of Khorasan Razavi and Tehran have also reported damage from the recent heavy rains, leading to floods in several villages and areas with more displacement expected.

“We will have no mercy on the criminals associated with violent crimes, especially the drug traffickers who are death dealers and burn people’s lives with the fire of addiction,” he said on Saturday.

According to Amnesty International’s report, Iran conducted at least 853 executions in the past year, marking the highest figure in eight years, more than half of those linked to drug-related offenses.

In April, 82 Iranian and international human rights groups called on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to suspend its cooperation with Iran until it halts drug-related executions.

The coalition highlighted that prisoners charged with drug offenses are sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Courts in Iran based on “torture-tainted confessions, without due process and fair trial rights and often without access to a lawyer.”

“We are concerned that hundreds more will be executed in the coming months if we do not increase the political cost of these executions for the Islamic Republic. We call on all human rights organizations and activists to take part in a special global campaign to stop drug-related executions in Iran,” the statement read.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the Director of the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization, warned that the UNODC has remained silent about the sharp hike in drug-related executions in the country, while it cooperates with Tehran on combating drug trafficking.

The drug-related executions are “aimed at instilling fear and preventing more protests” and have been carried out “without any political cost and consequences,” he stressed.