Iran ranks 7th most unaffordable for housing as population is priced out

In what appears to be a panicked response to close security gaps and preempt any further attacks or breaches, the IRGC has launched a large-scale investigation into its 190,000-strong force.

In an exclusive report, Reuters revealed that the IRGC is inspecting all devices used by its members, extending beyond just communication tools.

One senior Iranian security official, who spoke anonymously to Reuters, expressed Tehran's concerns about possible infiltration by Israeli agents, including Iranians working for Israel.

The Iranian official also noted widespread concern within Iran's ruling establishment. IRGC officials have reportedly reached out to Hezbollah for technical assessments, and several exploded devices have been sent to Tehran for examination by Iranian experts.

Last week’s attacks in Lebanon targeted Hezbollah’s walkie-talkies and pagers, triggering explosions that killed at least 39 people and injured over 3,000 across Hezbollah strongholds. Hezbollah and the Lebanese government accused Israel, though Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

The Iranian official also mentioned that most of the devices under scrutiny were either homemade or sourced from China and Russia.

According to the report, the thorough investigation focuses on mid- to high-ranking IRGC members. This includes a detailed review of their bank accounts, both domestic and international, as well as their travel histories and those of their families.

For the time being, it is unclear how the IRGC, a powerful paramilitary force that controls much of Iran's economy and permeates practically all aspects of society, will manage communications.

According to the Reuters report, the IRGC’s communications have shifted to end-to-end encrypted messaging systems, with the Iranian official declining to provide further details.

Reza Taghipour, a former communications minister, told the IRGC-affiliated Javan newspaper on Thursday that the recent attacks in Lebanon highlight the need for Iran to rely on domestic technologies. He suggested that if foreign-made devices must be used, they should undergo rigorous physical, software, and electromagnetic tests to ensure cyber security.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Marandi, a regime insider and advisor to Iran's nuclear negotiation team during Ebrahim Raisi’s presidency, has warned Iranians through several tweets since Tuesday about the risks of purchasing electronic devices and high-tech products from Western, Taiwanese, Korean, or Japanese manufacturers.

The latest setback for one of Tehran's key proxies comes as the Islamic Republic faces growing pressure from its supporters to retaliate against Israel, particularly after the injury of its ambassador in Lebanon and the unresolved response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

That killing, in the heart of the Iranian capital, sparked speculations and warnings about serious flaws and “Israeli infiltration” in Iran's intelligence and security agencies. Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s assassination, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, holds Israel accountable and has vowed to avenge the killing.

Since at least 2010, it has been alleged that Israel conducted dozens of attacks inside Iran, targeting sensitive nuclear and military installations and carrying out assassinations of individuals deemed a threat.

These attacks escalated after a massive July 2020 explosion at the Natanz uranium enrichment site in central Iran, which destroyed a key building. In November, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a prominent figure in Iran’s nuclear program and suspected architect of its covert weapons efforts, was assassinated in a roadside attack near Tehran.

Securing its nuclear and missile facilities, especially the underground sites, is Tehran's top priority today, according to one Iranian official who spoke to Reuters after the attacks in Lebanon.

However, he noted that security at those facilities had already been increased following what Iranian authorities described as an Israeli sabotage attempt on the country’s missile program in 2023. Israel has not commented on those claims.

"There has never, ever been such tight security and extreme measures in place as there are now," said the official, implying that the Hezbollah pager explosions in Lebanon have prompted further security tightening.

The IRGC, established following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, holds substantial power in Iran, controlling a ground force, navy, and air force. It also operates the Quds Force, responsible for overseas operations and support for regional proxies, many of which are designated as terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine, the Houthis in Yemen, and various militias in Iraq. The group extends its influence across the Middle East by providing these terrorist groups with funds, weapons, and training, contributing to regional instability and violence.

Iran's military uses a range of encrypted communication devices, with many developed domestically to avoid reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly due to sanctions imposed on Tehran over its nuclear program. Although Iran has imported communication equipment from China, Russia, and Japan in the past, pagers have reportedly not been in use by the military for over two decades, the security source said.

The announcement came during his online lecture on Sunday, marking the end of his 13-year tenure as a religious lecturer that could help make him an Ayatollah one day..

In a video statement, Khamenei said that the decision was personal, adding, “This has nothing to do with political matters and is an issue between me and God.” He further noted that he had only informed two individuals about the decision and that even his father, Ali Khamenei, was unaware of his decision.

Iranian media reported that approximately 700 students were enrolled in Mojtaba Khamenei's class, which focused on Islamic jurisprudence.

Speculation about the suspension has circulated widely, with some attributing the move to concerns over his security, given his status as a potential successor to his father. For years, the younger Khamenei has been seen as a potential successor to his father, sparking widespread debate among Iranians and online, despite limited acknowledgment or discussion from Iranian officials.

In April 2023, a leaked document reportedly from a confidential meeting between senior IRGC commanders and the Supreme Leader suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei was actively pursuing the succession project. The document also implied that Mojtaba had begun influencing high-level appointments, bypassing figures such as Ebrahim Raisi, a former frontrunner for leadership.

The theory of Mojtaba Khamenei’s succession gained further attention following the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash earlier this year.

Sadegh Mohammadi, Vice President of the General Assembly of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom, described Mojtaba Khamenei as a “jurisprudent and Muslim scholar” in March. He also suggested that Mojtaba could be “one of the future leadership candidates.”

Concerns over a hereditary transfer of power have been voiced by critics within Iran, including Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a leader of the dissident Green Movement of 2010s. In a letter from August 2022, Mousavi warned of the “hereditary leadership in Iran,” citing ongoing rumors that Mojtaba Khamenei was being groomed to succeed his father. He questioned why Iranian authorities had never publicly denied these claims, "if they are not thinking of Mojtaba’s rise to the throne?””

Mojtaba Khamenei, now 55 years old, is the son-in-law of Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, a former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament. His name became more prominent in discussions of succession after Mehdi Karroubi, another leader of the Green Movement, directly accused him of playing a critical role in securing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory in the 2005 presidential election.

In 2009, following the disputed presidential election, Mojtaba Khamenei faced accusations of orchestrating electoral fraud. Protests erupted across the country, marking the birth of the Green Movement, with demonstrators chanting slogans against him.

The Shabnameh X account, which claims to bypass the censorship of the Islamic Republic and reflect the voice of the Iranian people, speculated that the suspension of Mojtaba’s lectures might signal that he is no longer being groomed as the next leader. An Iranian political analyst, speaking anonymously, told Iran International that if Mojtaba Khamenei is halting his lectures, it could indicate disagreements with his father.

The account stated, "After orchestrating the election by installing Masoud Pezeshkian, a so-called reformist, as president, Khamenei is now signaling that his second son, Mojtaba, is no longer in the running for leadership by suspending Mojtaba’s 13-year-long jurisprudence class."

Malley was placed on unpaid leave and had his security clearance suspended in April 2023. Iran International first reported the incident in June, but the State Department has since blocked all efforts to gather further information on Malley’s case.

Two influential congressmen suggested in May that Malley lost his security clearance because he had transferred classified documents to his personal email and cell phone, and the documents were then stolen by a hostile cyber actor.

Now, a new report by the Wall Street Journal says “Malley had clicked on a phishing link, which compromised a personal email account.”

Citing people familiar with the matter, the report said investigators also discovered evidence that “Malley had potentially moved classified material, including meeting notes, to a personal account.”

The probe into Malley’s conduct resulted in a “tense meeting between senior Federal Bureau of Investigation and State Department officials,” WSJ reported. “The FBI viewed his work as sloppy, and the implications serious, while the State Department officials defended him.”

The State Department believed that the allegations against Malley “didn’t reflect serious misconduct,” a senior State Department official told the department’s inspector general, according to WSJ.

However, the State Department itself is accused of violating regulations by not reporting allegations against Malley to the department's watchdog, an internal probe obtained by Iran International revealed earlier this week.

The state department has yet to release details of these allegations which led to the revocation of Malley's security clearance, and effectively ended his mandate.

The report, initiated by the State Department's Inspector General months ago, highlights procedural lapses that likely allowed Malley to engage in activities beyond his authorized scope of work even after the suspension of his role.

Key issues highlighted in the report are the delay in notifying Malley of his clearance suspension and the department’s failure to inform other staff that Malley was no longer permitted to access classified materials.

‘Malley showed his hand too soon’

Appointed by President Biden in early 2021, Malley was tasked with leading the administration’s efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran which had been abandoned by Donald Trump in 2018.

In the course of talks with Tehran on the revival of the JCPOA, Malley proposed removing the toughest portion of the US sanctions that related to Iran’s nuclear program. However, his direct approach “worried some members of his 10-person negotiating team, who believed he was showing his hand too soon,” the WSJ report said Sunday.

“The basic criticism was about how much he unveiled,” said Enrique Mora, the EU’s deputy foreign policy chief and top negotiator at the time.

When hardliner Ebrahim Raisi was elected as Iran’s new president in 2021, nuclear talks broke off without a deal. Later in November that year, the Iranian negotiators led by Ali Bagheri-Kani met with US counterparts saying they wanted to restart the negotiations from scratch. At the time, the WSJ said, “Malley advocated for staying, believing that the price for persuading Tehran to return to talks later would prove too costly.”

However, Malley’s decision to stay fractured the US negotiating team, resulting in the resignations of Malley’s deputy, Richard Nephew, and other team member Ariane Tabatabai.

“The US showed that it was quite desperate to get a deal,” the WSJ said citing a European negotiator. “The Iranians knew they could just string it out.”

The Jihad missile system was officially unveiled for the first time on Saturday, introducing a new launch platform for liquid-fueled missiles, according to Iranian government media and IRGC sources.

According to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim website, it is a ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 kilometers, featuring a dual-missile launcher that distinguishes it from other Iranian liquid-fueled missiles.

Tasnim stated, "A glance at the Jihad missile reveals that it is an optimized version of the Qiam missile, whose range was previously increased from 800 kilometers to 1,000 kilometers, and its warhead became guided."

The Qiam missile, Iran's first liquid-fueled missile without fins, was introduced in 2010 with an initial range of 800 kilometers. Its design modification for fin removal allowed for launch from various missile silos. Subsequent enhancements included the replacement of the standard triple-cone warhead with a detachable, guided variant, improving accuracy to within 50 meters, according to Tasnim.

In October 2018, images from an operation revealed the Qiam missile with newly added small fins to enhance its flight profile. By 2021, the Ministry of Defense reported further advancements in the Qiam missile, achieving a range of 1,000 kilometers and marking the emergence of what the IRGC says is a new generation.

According to Tasnim, the Jihad missile is equipped with a warhead weighing approximately 600 kilograms and travels at speeds exceeding eight times the speed of sound. It employs a different launch platform, enabling the simultaneous launch of two missiles, thus enhancing operational efficiency despite the longer preparation time typically associated with liquid-fueled missiles.

Although the Islamic Republic has made continuous advancements in its ballistic missile program, it is not possible to independently verify claims of developing advanced weapons. Around 350 missiles and drones launched against Israel in April, 99% were intercepted by Israeli air defenses and allied warplanes.

Following the introduction of the Kheibar-Shekan and Martyr Haj Qasem missiles, Tasnim reported that a new generation of Iranian ballistic missile launch platforms has also become operational. This platform, used in the Fattah missile, is equipped with the DRU (Precise Navigation System), providing highly accurate positioning data. "This enables rapid firing immediately after deployment, along with swift closure and exit capabilities," the report added.

Iran's missile program has generated ongoing concerns among Western nations, particularly the United States and its allies, as Iran invests heavily in developing various ballistic and cruise missiles. The advancements in missile technology have raised alarms about potential threats to regional stability, especially regarding Iran's backing of non-state actors and militant groups.

The potential development of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) has prompted calls for tighter controls over Iran's missile program.

In response to the tensions, the United States and its allies have imposed sanctions targeting Iran's missile development, aiming to restrict access to materials and technologies that could enhance missile capabilities.

New sanctions were recently implemented against Iran and its state airline, Iran Air, following allegations of missile deliveries to Russia.

Despite international scrutiny, Iran maintains its right to develop missile capabilities, framing it as a matter of national sovereignty.

Among the entourage are Masoud Pezeshkian’s two sons, daughter, and son-in-law.

Reports from outlets such as Modara and Tejarat News in Tehran indicate that in addition to close family members, several individuals linked to Elias Hazrati, the head of the government’s information council, also joined Pezeshkian on the trip.

Pezeshkian had previously faced public backlash after it was revealed that his son-in-law, Hassan Majidi, accompanied him on a government trip to Iraq. It was later revealed that Pezeshkian’s son and daughter had also been part of that delegation.

Iranian media reported last week that Majidi had since been appointed as the executive assistant to the head of the president’s office, raising additional concerns about nepotism within the government.

Modara’s report further highlighted the ongoing secrecy surrounding Pezeshkian's New York delegation, noting: “In Iran, the number of travelers to New York and the president's companions has always been controversial, but no head of state has been willing to transparently disclose the names of their companions on this trip.”

Among the officials confirmed to be traveling with Pezeshkian are Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister; Mohammad Javad Zarif, deputy for strategic affairs; Zahra Behrouz Azar, deputy for women's affairs; Mehdi Sanaei, political deputy of the president’s office; and Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah, the executive deputy.

The Trump administration banned Zarif from visiting the United States in 2019, when Washington was pursuing 'maximum pressure' on Tehran.

The presence of government officials' children and family members at state events has long been a point of contention in Iranian politics. On August 28, at the ceremony introducing Mohammad Atabak as the new Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade, Hamid Reza Aref, the eldest son of First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, was seen attending, provoking widespread criticism.

As far back as 2012, during then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s trip to New York, approximately 140 people accompanied him. Mohammad Ali Pourmokhtar, a member of Iran’s parliament, revealed that many of the travelers were "family members and relatives of government officials."

Iran's latest president, Pezeshkian, stated that his goal for the visit to UNGA is to "neutralize the atmosphere" surrounding the Islamic Republic abroad. Iran has in the last two years been sanctioned for terror activities abroad, support for Russia's war on Ukraine, human rights abuses at home and its ongoing nuclear program.

Speaking on Sunday before his departure, he suggested a desire to win over the Iranian diaspora of whom there are over half a million originally born in Iran. "We can exchange views with Iranians there and neutralize the atmosphere they have created outside the country.

"The reality is not what they present through television, tribunes, or in gatherings," he said. Iran has seen massive activism and protests from its community around the US in a bid to garner international support to overthrow the government, gaining pace since the 2022 uprising.

In a bid to overturn the massively negative perceptions, Pezeshkian said: "Our Iran is much safer and freer than they [foreign media] have depicted."

In an interview with the Entekhab website, Fadahossein Maleki, a member of Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on Sunday that "the interviews that Pezeshkian will conduct with Western media during his trip to New York will impact the US elections."

Pezeshkian also said that he intends to speak with other heads of state to "create peace and security in the world". It comes one year after the US designated Iran the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, who had already departed for New York ahead of Pezeshkian, said his meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly on Sunday would center around the conflict in Gaza between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas.

Araghchi said that on the first day, he held "serious discussions" with the foreign ministers of Kuwait and Bahrain, and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council regarding "regional stability and security, the Palestinian issue, Israel's crimes in Gaza and southern Lebanon, the dangers Israeli policies pose to all countries, and the need to counter these policies."

On September 19, Reuters, citing three Iranian officials, reported that Pezeshkian, on his first trip to the West since his election, would carry a message signaling that "Tehran is open to diplomacy", while emphasizing that Tehran will not bow to pressure.

The report predicted that Iranian and European officials at the UN would explore ways to return to diplomacy regarding the Islamic Republic's nuclear program while seeking to reduce tensions with Israel. However, there has been no sign indicating European or US interest in reopening negotiations.

In their initial statements about the trip, neither Araghchi nor Pezeshkian mentioned the nuclear issue in spite of Iran having accelerated its nuclear program and obstructed UN inspectors.

According to the latest confidential reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Islamic Republic continues its high-enrichment uranium production, which could be used for building nuclear weapons.

France, the UK, and Germany, known as the European Troika, have increased pressure on Tehran to return to negotiations.

On September 10, these countries, along with the US, imposed new sanctions on the Islamic Republic due to its supply of ballistic missiles to Russia, an issue which has led to the deterioration of relations between Iran and the West, in addition to Iran's support for its regional proxies.

Since the war in Gaza, Iran's proxies have launched attacks on Israel from countries including Yemen, Syria and Iraq, in addition to Yemen's Houthis imposing a maritime blockade on the Red Sea region which has massively disrupted global shipping.