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Saturday Protests in Isfahan
Victims of a systemic scam organized by the Fardadkar Amitis Company held a protest rally in front of the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office on Saturday and demanded that the case be heard in the Special Court for Economic Corruption.
Tehran’s medical staff staged a protest rally today to protest the delays in their payments.
Widow pensioners of the so-called “Martyr Foundation” staged a protest rally in front of the foundation’s building in Tehran today to protest the officials’ failure to process their demands.
Former and seasonal workers of Hafta Tappeh Company held a protest rally in front of the MP’s office from Shush. They demanded their return to work and were asking for formal employment and the end of discrimination in employment.
Farmers of Bavi County, Khuzestan Province, held a rally to protest the officials’ decision who have deprived them of their right to irrigation for autumn.
Fruit-sellers held a protest rally in front of the Tabriz Municipality building today, and held placards that read “Selling fruit is not a crime”. They demanded job security to be able to feed their families.
UPDATE: 6:00 PM CET
A Women Was Executed in Isfahan
At dawn on Thursday, November 25, the Iranian regime’s judiciary executed a female prisoner at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. The prisoner who was identified as Maryam Khakpour, 41, was arrested on drug-related charges.
Maryam had been in the women’s ward of Dastgerd prison for the past five years. Even though she had repeatedly stated that the drugs belong to her ex-husband and he was sentenced to 18 years in prison but still the judiciary executed herself.
State Officials and Media Warn Against Radicalization of Protests
The state-run newspaper Ebtekar wrote today: “The water crisis is strangling the country. Every day, another region rises up to demand its rights and shouts out. Social faults have awakened, and if not addressed, they will be getting more complicated by the day. The country is dealing with water bankruptcy. Mismanagement in the water sector is making the situation worse every day. No natural or miraculous event can change it.”
Mohammad Reza Mirheidari, the police commander of Isfahan province said: “Yesterday, a number of my colleagues were unfortunately injured because of the stones that were thrown at them. Sometimes these counter-revolutionary forces used explosives or stabbed the police.”
The state-run Kayhan newspaper wrote: “Yesterday morning, some thugs set fire to the police motorcycle, broke the windows of ambulances, broke the windows of public places, including the bank, set fire to trees and threw stones at the police, wounded one of the Basij forces, and so on. And they created an atmosphere of terror for the passers-by.”
The state-run Vatan-e-Amrooz newspaper also wrote: “The activities of dissident groups who want to ride the wave of protests, can be seen as a prelude to the continuation of social discontent.”
UPDATE: 5:00 PM CET
The Enemy Wants to Rot Our System From Within, Khamenei’s Rep. Warns
During his Friday prayer sermon, Ahmad Alamolhoda, the supreme leader’s representative in Mashhad and Ebrahim Raisi’s father-in-law, said: “They [the enemy] are working and creating content to suppress our state by inciting people inside the country against the system. They are working on this invasion, on the attack that took place against our system, in order to rot the system from within, to dismantle the system from within.”
According to the local Khorasan TV, Alamolhoda warned: “Given the issues we have within our society, the enemy wants to incite an internal crisis, using soft warfare.”
UPDATE: 2:30 PM CET
Military Governors Are Appointed to Deal with Protests, Regime’s Insider Admits
Mostafa Derayati, a state-affiliated political activist wrote in the Hamdeli newspaper today: “Those in the government think that such events [uprisings] will continue to take place, otherwise they wouldn’t have appointed so many military officials as governors. Hiring military figures as executive officials in different cities and provinces is probably based on this prediction because their expertise lies in these things.”
Derayati added: “However, people react in different ways that may occur at certain times. People will finally find a way. One way is to take to the streets. For instance, we are witnessing the problems of Isfahan now. It is true that water is the main issue, but people have other things in mind and water has become an excuse [for protest]. I believe that other grievances seem to have paved the way for these protests. When protests arise, it can be difficult and costly to control.”
UPDATE: 2:00 PM CET
We’re Down a Dangerous Path, Former Official Warns
Mostafa Tajzadeh, former acting minister of interior, wrote in the state-run newspaper Sharq today: “We are witnessing an accumulation [of crises] in our country, namely environmental, climate, the spread of corruption and economic problems.”
Tajzadeh added: “In fact, it’s the people who have taken to the streets and are protesting. You can’t tie them to foreigners, they cannot be called separatists… and most importantly, they cannot be appeased with a short-term ransom. These problems sometimes pop up from any corner of the country and we see a new form of dissatisfaction and civil protests.”
The former official warned: “If we continue with the same approach, problems will increase by the day. Absent a strategic vision, in recent years, we have lost many opportunities to solve people’s problems and gain their satisfaction by looking at things through the lens of security and national interest. If we continue like this, it’s going to be dangerous.”
UPDATE: 8:30 AM CET
Years of Pay Gap Between Workers and State Officials, State-run Newspaper Admits
The state-run newspaper Hamdeli published a story about the huge pay gap between ordinary citizens and state officials. Referring to the salaries of state-affiliated managers and leaders as “astronomical figures”, Hamdali wrote: “While weak sections of society receive about four million tomans per month at best, astronomical figures have hit the news again and evidence is distributed on social networks. Yesterday, on many social networks, paychecks of three senior petrochemical managers have been circulated, which are approximately equivalent to four years of a worker’s salary. For instance, a receipt shows, the salary of a financial manager is 215 million tomans, the salary of the person in charge of financial resources is 125 million tomans and the salary of the head of security is 84 million tomans.”
The Crackdown Aftermath: Tensions in Isfahan Remain High
Farmers and citizens of Isfahan continued their protests overnight in different neighborhoods and chanted slogans against the regime. Calls for “Death to the dictator” and “Death to Khamenei” echoed throughout the city while some youth set fire to Khamenei’s banner.
Isfahan – People chant: “Let go of Syria, start thinking about us!”
Internet Disruption Registered in Iran Amid Water Protests
Network data from NetBlocks confirm a subnational disruption to internet service in parts of Iran from the morning of Thursday 25 November 2021, ongoing for close to two days. The disruption registered in the southwestern city of Ahvaz comes amid protests against government water management policies which have centered around Isfahan, where outages have also been reported by users.
⚠️ Confirmed: Network data indicate a fall in internet connectivity in parts of #Iran from the morning of Thursday 25 November.
The ongoing outage has subnational impact and may be connected to protests against the government’s water management policies #Ahvaz 📉 pic.twitter.com/2szRwQawfx
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) November 26, 2021
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran: Coronavirus Death Toll Exceeds 481,400
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) announced on Friday, November 26, 2021, that the COVID-19 death toll in 547 cities had exceeded 481,400. In Tehran the death toll has reached 112,825, Isfahan 32,995, Khuzestan 29,260, West Azerbaijan 18,038, Fars 17,910, Gilan 16,745, Alborz 14,133, Sistan and Baluchestan 13,370, Kerman 12,902, Golestan 10,535, Kermanshah 8,954, Central Province 8,788, Bushehr 5,374, and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari 3,700.(PMOI/MEK)
#Iran Coronavirus Update
More than 481,400 people have died of the novel #coronavirus in 547 cities checkered across all of Iran's 31 provinces, according to the Iranian opposition PMOI/MEK.
Full reporthttps://t.co/RQFHc0NwwA pic.twitter.com/oq0AJDfdkR
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 26, 2021
The Repressive Forces Attack Protest in Support of Isfahan Farmers
This morning, thousands of deprived farmers and youth of Isfahan gathered at the farmers’ sit-in location on the Zayandeh Rud Riverbed, to which the repressive forces had set fire the day before. Since early morning, the State Security Force (SSF) and IRGC’s special units were deployed to three locations around the Khajoo Bridge (historical bridge on Zayandeh Rud river) and on the roads leading to the river to prevent crowds from joining the protesters. By sending text messages to the people, warning them not to participate in today’s rally, the security and intelligence forces had tried desperately to prevent people from joining the demonstration since the day before.
Isfahan Farmers Attacked by Anti-riot Forces as They Resume Protests at Zayandeh Rud River
The farmers of Isfahan returned to the dried basin of Zayandeh Rud river on Friday to resume their protests to water shortages caused by regime policies. As the farmers gathered at the Pol-e Khaju area early in the morning, anti-riot forces and Basij militia attacked them with teargas and batons to prevent the demonstrations from taking shape.
Hamid Noury Gives His Own Testimony During His Trial in a Swedish Court
Hamid Noury, a former Iranian prison official who was involved in the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran, took to the stand during his own trial at a Swedish court to give his own testimony on Tuesday. With highly contradicted remarks, Noury has shown his true criminal nature.
Noury was arrested in Sweden in 2019 on a visit to the country. After almost two years of investigations, his trial began in August 2021 and is set to run until April 2022. So far, his trial has featured heart-breaking testimonies from survivors of the 1988 massacre. Of the 30,000 prisoners who were murdered during the summer of 1988, the majority were members and supporters of the Iranian Resistance group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Stop Discussing Iran Solutions; Instead Support Its People and Their Resistance
Experience has shown that negotiating with the Iranian regime is like a baking stone. Of course, the Gulf States and the US government are searching for a diplomatic solution, but Iran watchers believe this is time-wasting while hoping to be able to tame the regime’s destructive behaviors. This was the main subject of the Manama Dialogue which was held from November 19 to November 21. At this conference politicians, diplomats, and experts from different countries discussed the most important and urgent security challenges of the Middle East.
People and Women of Isfahan Defy Security Forces, a Woman Gets Killed
The clerical regime’s suppressive forces attacked the demonstrators who gathered for protest in Zayanderud River bed in Isfahan on Friday morning, November 26, 2021. Hundreds of security forces attacked the protesting farmers of Isfahan and the locals who joined them for a protest this morning. They shot the protesters with pellet guns and used tear gas. At least 50 protesters were wounded by security forces, many in the head and face. Most of those injured did not go to the hospital to avoid being arrested.
Juvenile Executions in Iran Will Not Cease Until Regime Officials Are Held Accountable for Their Crimes
On November 24, despite an international campaign to halt the execution of a juvenile offender in Iran, this was ignored by the Iranian regime and Arman Abdolali’s execution was carried out. Iran is one of the only nations in the world that still hands death sentences to minors, which is in clear violation of international law on human rights.
Iran’s MEK Resistance Units in Support of Isfahan Protesters: Water and Freedom Are Our Undeniable Rights
PMOI/MEK Resistance Units inside Iran support demonstrators in Isfahan who protested the Iranian regime’s corrupt policies, including its mismanagement in the watershed field. Friday, November 19, marked a turning point in the ongoing protests of the farmers of Isfahan. The demonstrations, which have been ongoing at the dried basin of the Zayandeh Rud river, have been garnering support from people of all walks of life.
Read more: Iran News in Brief – November 26, 2021
