Swedish Officials Raise Alarm Over Threats to Iran International Reporter

A source close to her family informed Iran International that security forces demanded money to disclose her burial location and ordered them to keep her death private.

While the exact circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear, human rights activists believe it is a state-backed killing based on the actions of state agents, such as the cover-up and secret burial.

Lelahi, 40, who was briefly detained during the 2022 nationwide protest, went missing in March 2023. In September 2022, the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, which the UN’s fact-finding mission pinned on state authorities, ignited nationwide demonstrations, during which more than 550 protesters were killed.

Dissident journalist Masih Alinejad wrote on Instagram: “After extensive inquiries, her family was informed through the police that Lelahi had died and was interred at Bibi Sakineh Cemetery in Karaj, near Tehran.

“Despite having killed Bahareh and inscribing her name on the burial site, authorities withheld this information from her family for three months.”

The online Institute for Iranian Civil Society (Tavaana) also cited sources close to her family claiming they are trying to bring her body back to their hometown of Amol, in northern Iran, to bury her.

Tavaana also reported that security forces are summoning citizens via phone. When individuals comply without informing anyone, they can be held with no legal representation and nobody has knowledge of their whereabouts.

Amnesty International has highlighted the Iranian authorities have failed to provide accountability for tens of deaths in custody, despite credible reports that they resulted from torture or other ill-treatment or the lethal use of firearms and tear gas by officials when rounding up protestors.

Judiciary officials, who have consistently denied international investigations into Iranian prisons and detention centers, assert that conditions in these facilities are adequate. However, the experiences of numerous prisoners shared by rights groups reveal that prisons and detention centers operated by security forces have effectively become "killing grounds," particularly for dissidents.

According to the report, Iran's GDP experienced a 5% growth in 2023, but it would slow down to 3.2% in the current year, 2.7% and 2.3% in next two years.

The relatively strong economic growth was related to Iran's oil export boom as well as the service sector.

According to OPEC's statistics, Iran's oil production surpassed 3 million barrels per day in 2023, 22% more than the previous year. The production level reached 3.2 mb/d in March and hasn't increased more.

Before US sanctions imposed in 2018 and expanded in 2019, Iran’s crude oil output was above 3.8 mb/d in 2017. It declined to below 2 mb/d in 2020, but since Joe Biden took office at While House, Iran’s oil production began to increase. This was the result of more crude exports to China that had dwindled to less than 200,000 barrels p/d during the Trump administration.

Kpler’s, an industry analyst, has issued figures showing that Iran’s oil exports increased from 350,000 b/d in 2020 to about 1.5 mb/d in the first half of 2024.

Despite the rapid growth, Iran's petrodollar revenues have not kept pace with the increase in oil export volume due to the heavy costs of US sanctions. Not only Iran has to offer China discounts, but also the illicit transfer of oil incurs more expenses.

According to Iran's customs statistics, the country's crude oil and mazut export revenues increased by only 7% last year, reaching $36 billion. Under normal conditions, given the export volume and oil prices, revenues would have exceeded $44 billion.

Iran offers at least $13/barrel discount for Chinese refineries, according to Reuters.

Iran's Statistical Center's reports show the country's 5% GDP growth in the last year was related to 22% oil production growth as well as 17% growth in government expenditures (compared to 2011 base-year).

World Bank says GDP growth is projected to moderate in the Islamic Republic of Iran for the three fiscal years beginning in FY2024/25, while uncertainty around the outlook is elevated: "The moderation partly reflects subdued global demand, the ongoing effects of international sanctions, and domestic energy shortages."

Iran faces a severe electricity deficit in summers and a huge amount of gas deficit in winters. The government put a limit to supply energy to industrial sector to compensate for the housing energy demand.

The industrial sector loses about $6-8 billion annually due to energy deficit.

Previously, the International Monetary Fund also estimated that Iran's GDP would decelerate continuously between 2024-2026.

Speaking to state media, Safavi emphasized that the ideal candidate must view himself as "the second-in-command" to Khamenei, warning against any divergence between the executive actions and Khamenei's vision.

"People should elect a president whose views do not conflict with those of the Leader of the Revolution and who considers himself the second-in-command."

The statement comes in the wake of former President Ebrahim Raisi's sudden death in a helicopter crash on May 19, which has precipitated a snap election scheduled for June 28.

The Guardian Council, which answers to Khamenei, has disqualified a significant majority of hopefuls, permitting only six to run, five of whom are staunch loyalists to Khamenei. The sole moderate reformist cleared to contest, Masoud Pezeshkian, a current parliament member, has notably swayed public sentiment by pledging unwavering loyalty to Khamenei during his campaign, much to the disappointment of reformist supporters.

Safavi's remarks mirror the broader strategy of Iran's leadership to consolidate power around a singular ideological line, especially as the country faces escalating domestic discontent and international pressures. His tenure as the former chief of the Revolutionary Guards further bolsters the weight of his statements, highlighting the military's integral role in shaping and securing the country’s political landscape.

As reported by the Tehran-based Fararu website, job listings for average workers in the city offer salaries ranging from a meager $116 (70 million rials) to $300 (180 million rials) for a grueling 12-hour workday. These figures highlight the harsh economic conditions faced by Iranian workers, reflecting the broader economic crisis gripping the country.

The Struggle with Minimum Wage

In March of this year, the Iranian government announced a 35% increase in the basic minimum wage, raising it to 110 million rials (approximately $186) with benefits. Despite this increment, the new minimum wage remains woefully insufficient, covering only almost half of the monthly $400 that the average household of three requires for basic food and necessities in Tehran. This shortfall is emblematic of the severe economic pressures on Iranian families, who must navigate a landscape of rampant inflation and currency devaluation.

Inflation and Currency Devaluation

Iran is grappling with an inflation rate of around 50%, and the national currency, the rial, has depreciated 15-fold since 2018, reaching historic lows. This dramatic devaluation has fueled widespread inflation, exacerbating poverty across the nation. The discrepancy between wages and the cost of living is stark, with many workers unable to afford basic necessities despite working long hours. This economic disparity further deepens the financial strain on millions of Iranians, pushing many to the brink of poverty.

Job Listings and Salaries: A Grim Reality

- Supermarkets and Shops

Job listings analyzed by Fararu reveal a grim picture of wages and working conditions in Tehran. Supermarket and shop workers face some of the harshest conditions. One advertiser offered between 90 million rials ($150) and 100 million rials ($169) per month for a full-time supermarket worker role from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, without insurance. Another shop in Farmanieh, a wealthy district in northern Greater Tehran, offered slightly better wages, ranging from 120 million rials ($200) to 150 million rials ($250) for similar work. Shelf stackers in supermarkets earn around 130 million rials ($215) and may receive additional benefits such as meals and a place to sleep.

- Fast Food and Restaurants

Fast food workers in the Olympic Village in District 22 earn between 70 million rials ($116) and 90 million rials ($150) for a 12-hour shift, from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. These positions often include meals and accommodation but lack insurance. Restaurant workers in areas like Javadiyeh in the South of Tehran face even longer hours, working from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM, totaling 14 hours a day, with similar pay. These roles typically require a year of experience and may or may not include insurance, further complicating the workers' financial stability.

- Cleaning and Dishwashing Jobs

Workers in cleaning and dishwashing roles also endure difficult conditions. Motorcycle cleaning workers are offered 90 million rials ($150) to 150 million rials ($250), with meals and accommodation provided. They work seven days a week, including half days on Fridays, which is the official weekend. Dishwashers in Yousef Abad, in the north-central part of Tehran, earn about 110 million rials ($183), with shifts from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

High-Salary Advertisements: Reality or Deception?

Some job advertisements boast salaries as high as 400 million rials ($680). However, these figures often come with significant conditions or when contacted by Fararu the advertiser cited a mistake in the advertisement. For instance, an auto parts company worker lists salaries ranging from 220 million rials ($370) to 350 million rials ($595), but the actual starting salary is 135 million rials ($230) when Fararu made inquiries with the advertiser. These higher figures are typically for more experienced or specialized roles and involve substantial overtime.

Similarly, an advertisement for electricians in Tehran Pars offers up to 25 million rials ($420). Yet again when inquiries were made by Fararu, the advertiser stated that the actual starting pay is 90 million rials ($150) and the salary only reaches higher levels after a probationary period and training.

The economic crisis in Iran, marked by high inflation and currency devaluation, has created an environment where workers in Tehran face significant financial challenges. The reported wages are insufficient to meet the basic needs of workers and their families, leading to widespread poverty, and underscoring the broader economic challenges facing the country.

The operation, which occurred within the last 24 hours, targeted the missile launchers due to their “imminent threat to US and coalition forces and coalition forces and to merchant vessels transiting the region” amid the Iran-backed proxy’s Red Sea region blockade.

Global shipping has been targeted by the group, resulting from a claim of allegiance to Iran-backed Hamas in the midst of the Gaza war. Beginning as a campaign to target Israeli linked vessels it has since gone global with dozens of civilian seamen held captive.

The targeted missile launchers were located in a Houthi-controlled area. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have increasingly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea since November, following directives from Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to impede Israeli commerce.

The aggressive actions have precipitated a series of retaliatory strikes by US and British forces since February as the conflict expanded to affect broader international shipping interests.

The Houthis’ actions have severely disrupted global shipping, impacting at least half of the world's cargo flow through the critical Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden. As a result, numerous shipping companies have been forced to reroute their cargo around southern Africa, significantly increasing global shipping times and costs.