Society

Counterfeit and adulterated illicit drugs kill around 7,000 people in Iran each year, a senior anti-narcotics official said on Thursday, warning that dangerous impurities in illegal drugs have become a major public health concern.

Dozens of messages sent to Iran International say Iranian authorities and state-linked institutions are pressuring workers, businesses and charities to take part in funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Turkey’s tougher residency rules are leaving growing numbers of Iranians facing legal uncertainty, financial losses and difficult choices over whether they can remain in a country that was once among their most accessible migration destinations.

Iranian authorities have stepped up pressure on one of the country’s few surviving Protestant churches, threatening to confiscate its valuable central Tehran compound and evict residents, in what church leaders describe as the latest assault on Christian worship sites.

A banking disruption lasting more than two weeks has left many Iranians unable to access their accounts, make purchases or transfer money, adding to financial pressures after the recent war and ceasefire.

Iran's elimination from the FIFA World Cup prompted a wave of public reactions, with many citizens arguing the team's defeat reflected the political positions of some players rather than simply a sporting failure, according to messages sent to Iran International.

Direct-to-cell satellite technology could one day help Iranians bypass part of the Islamic Republic’s digital blockade, but it is not yet a practical solution to the country’s internet shutdown despite widespread hopes.

Iran’s World Cup match against Egypt has become a test not only of FIFA’s approach to inclusion but also of whether LGBTQ+ Iranians can claim visibility on one of the world’s biggest sporting stages.

Many Iranians are using the Shiite mourning period of Muharram to commemorate those killed in January's nationwide protests rather than take part in state-backed religious ceremonies, according to messages sent to Iran International and videos from across the country.

Iran was listed among the world’s highest-risk countries for torture, impunity and state violence in the 2026 Global Torture Index, released Thursday by the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) and partner groups.

Iran's Ashura commemorations have again become a stage for competing political narratives, with government supporters and opponents alike using Shi'ite mourning rituals to advance sharply different messages.

A World Cup fixture etched in Iran’s memory since the 1990 Rudbar-Manjil earthquake gained a grim new echo after twin quakes struck Venezuela as Brazil and Scotland met again 36 years later.

Daily electricity and water outages disrupted life across Iran as summer began, with residents blaming years of underinvestment and deteriorating infrastructure despite officials citing rising demand and shrinking water supplies.

Many Iranians fear that a diplomatic opening with the United States could come at the cost of renewed social restrictions at home, as reports of stricter hijab enforcement begin circulating following the recent war.

Opium poppy cultivation in some villages of the Zagros mountains in western Iran has evolved from a hidden, scattered practice into an essential part of the rural subsistence economy, an Iran International investigation found.

At least eight Iranian banks suffered widespread service disruptions on Tuesday, leaving customers unable to access many electronic and card-based services days after a separate outage affected four major banks.

Bread prices across Tehran province have risen by as much as 100%, pushing the cost of one of the most important staple foods sharply higher and raising fresh concerns over government plans to overhaul the country's subsidy system.

Soaring gym fees and shrinking household budgets are forcing many Iranians to abandon sports and fitness activities, turning what was once a routine part of daily life into an unaffordable luxury, according to messages sent to Iran International.