Iran News in Brief – January 5, 2022

Hamideh Taati

3 years ago

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS

UPDATE: 7:25 PM CET

Health Ministry: a Third of Iranians Can’t Afford Dairy Products

The price of milk in Iran tripled in 2021, and with it, dairy products have become significantly more expensive. A health ministry official says a third of Iranians have either reduced or removed dairy products from their diets.

Iranians will face the effects of calcium deficiency, including malnourishment in youth, stunted growth, and osteoporosis. According to the health ministry, 30% of Iranians don’t consume milk, 26% don’t eat yogurt, and 20% don’t eat cheese.

The report was based on research in 2020, and the real situation can be worse since prices continued to rise in 2021. Milk consumption in Iran has dropped to 60-70 kg/year. In developed countries, this figure stands at 350 kg/year.

UPDATE: 5:43 PM CET

The U.S. Accuses Iran’s Regime of Recent Drone Attacks

Two explosive-laden drones were shot down on Tuesday as they approached the Ain al-Asad airbase.

John Kerby, Pentagon’s Spokesperson Accused Iran of Being Behind Attacks Against the U.S. in ME.

“We continue to see threats against our forces in Iraq and Syria by militia groups that are backed by Iran.”

Iranian-backed militia forces have occasionally targeted U.S. forces in both Iraq and Syria in recent years.

UPDATE: 11:40 AM CET

A State-affiliated Cleric Admitted to the Hatred of Iran’s People Toward Mullahs

“Unfortunately, the seminary has become too politicized, and the government has become a kind of religious government,” Mohammad Taghi Fazel Meybodi told the state-run Dideban on Tuesday, January 4. “On the other hand, the clergy are also in sensitive positions, which is why people do not have a positive view of the new clergy students.

Fazel Meybodi: “The mullahs are less likely to appear in public in clerical garb. Many scholars who want to go to the market or to their businesses, try not to go in clerical garb because people are insulting or cursing them. Today, the clergy appear less in clerical garb in public without being bothered. When a cleric sits in a taxi, people start cursing them. People blame the clergy for all the problems.”

UPDATE: 08:30 AM CET

Iran: Devastating Floods Ravage 28 Provinces, At Least 11 Die

Once again, as a result of the plundering and criminal policies of the clerical regime, the flash flood has left many farmers, workers, and other Iranians homeless and bereaved a large group of our compatriots.

Iran’s State Media: Trash Collecting By Women and Children Has Become a Routine

The state-run Hamdeli daily acknowledged on Tuesday the tragedy of women and children who collect trash for making ends meet, while regime officials enjoy lavish lives.

“The trash collecting of women and children has now become a routine,” Hamdeli wrote.

“In the fifth decade of the Islamic revolution, [officials] actions seem very much shocking for the first generation of the revolution. Seeing the clerics occupying top government positions and places that are fit to work,” Hamdeli wrote.

“Four decades after a revolution that mullahs’ claim they spearheaded, the social gap and the misery index has reached a point that the trash collecting of women and children has become a routine,” Hamdeli added.

Why Sanctions Relief Won’t Fix Iran’s Economic Problems

As negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program continue in Vienna, senior Iranian officials have been repeating the same claims over and over again: All sanctions must be lifted. In the past few years, the U.S. and international sanctions have become a rallying cry for the regime. The regime’s officials are blaming economic problems such as poverty, inflation, unemployment, and the depreciation of the rial on sanctions.

Iran: Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses 495,000

The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) announced on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, that the Coronavirus death toll in 547 cities has exceeded 495,000. In Tehran, the death toll has reached 115,720, Isfahan 34,275, Khuzestan 29,900, Fars 18,700, Gilan 17,170, East Azerbaijan 17,108, Central Province 9,013, Qazvin 5,799, Bushehr 5,509, Zanjan 4,745, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad 3,744.