THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:00 AM CET
State Media Warns About the Aftermath of Isfahan Protests
In recent days, the Iranian state media have been publishing numerous reports and analyses about the grave situation of water shortages in different provinces and warned that this trend is going to turn into nationwide unrest.
The state-run newspaper Ebtekar wrote today: “In the five provinces of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Lorestan, Yazd, Isfahan and Khuzestan, the water crisis has turned into a water tension. There have been occasional attacks against water transfer facilities from Isfahan to Yazd, and on the other hand, the people of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Khuzestan, and Lorestan have complained that their water is being transferred from springs to other provinces.”
Ebtekar added: “Most farmers in Khuzestan province have not been able to cultivate since the summer. The province is facing a water shortage crisis, and in the last days of July and the first week of August this year, there were widespread protests in Khuzestan province against water shortages and lack of water for farmlands.”
The state-run newspaper Mostaghel blamed the water crisis on the state’s systemic mishandling and wrote on the same day: “The water mafia and its tunnels are drying up underground waters like a vacuum cleaner. This has been very beneficial for them but it has darkened the future for Iran. And now, the Vice President and the Minister of Energy are being overwhelmed by a large crowd who have gathered because of the crises that have been created by factories who took all that water. Would you be happy to see the people of Lorestan revolt with their guns tomorrow?”
The paper warned: “Protests against the results of the 2009 elections, protests against high prices in 2017 and finally the protests in 2019… turned political with strong security and political repercussions… Why and how are incapable forces within the system turning protesters into regime changers?”
Also, the state-run Arman newspaper wrote today: “The rhetoric of maximalists fell short, and now a crisis that is even more important than gasoline and any other basic commodity has finally arisen, so that there is no way back and forth, at least in the short term…”
Arman added: “While Isfahani farmers want water for their farmlands, hundreds of villages in Yazd and Khuzestan do not even have water to drink and water is being taken to them by tanker at the lowest level possible! The magnitude of the water crisis will consume all the time, energy, capacity, and facilities of the country. A crisis that, if left unchecked… may really lead us to a dangerous point.”
Khamenei’s Representative Calls for Restricting Social Media
Khamenei’s representative in Rasht, Rasul Falahati said: “The Council of the Cultural Revolution failed to prepare plans in the field of policy-making, about women, about propaganda, about universities, about the media, about culture. Nor did they have a policy regarding how to counter the cultural aggression! Giant media entered our lives. The global mass media, social media networks, virtual networks, mobile networks… they all came into human life and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution did not have any countermeasures for that. One has to ask why?”
UPDATE: 4:30 AM CET
State-affiliated Expert Blames Systemic Corruption for the Water Crisis
Mohammadreza Mahboubfar, a state-affiliated expert, mocked the regime leaders’ claim about water shortages while saying: “The most ridiculous excuse is that water is being transferred to Isfahan from other provinces. But if that had really happened, neither Zayandeh Rud would have dried up nor would we face the challenge of subsidence.”
According to the state-run Javan newspaper, Mahboubfar added: “If you would strip economic organizations and the water mafia [IRGC-affiliated organizations] of their control over the nation’s water resources, the drought problem of the country’s rivers would certainly reduce.”
Sunday Protests in Iran
The people of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province gathered today from different parts of the province in Shahrekord, the capital of the province, and stood up against the looting of water by the fraudulent state. Aiming their slogans against the regime and its propaganda machine, the protestors chanted: “Our shame, our radio and television!” as well as “The Bakhtiari will rather die than giving in to disgrace!”
November 21 – Shahrekord, central #Iran
Locals in this & other cities of Chaharmahal & Bakhtiari province took to the streets protesting the regime's destructive policies of rerouting local rivers that have devastated people's lives.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/h9R0r25uNL— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 21, 2021
House buyers who fell victim to the systemic scam of the Alborz Lamerd housing dealership gathered today, holding a banner in front of the Lamerd governor’s office and demanding the support of the Lamerd governor and prosecutor.
Farmers and villagers from suburbs around Tabriz gathered in front of the regime’s Jihad Agricultural Organization in East Azerbaijan to reclaim the confiscated lands.
Students and educational staff of Ahvaz University protested against the inefficiency of the management team and the president of the university today.
Shahrekord Municipality workers rallied on Sunday, protesting the officials’ refusal to pay the salaries for several months. Hashemi, the director of the green space department of the Shahrekord municipality acknowledged that the workers have not received their salaries for four months.
Today, workers of the Abadan Petrochemical Complex protested against the officials’ refusal to process their demands. Increasing salaries and benefits, fair contracting terms, job security, and the right to organize trade unions are among the demands of these workers.
UPDATE: 3:30 AM CET
MP Warns About Harsh Living Conditions in Iran
A member of the regime’s parliament from Ahvaz, warned about the deteriorating situation in Khuzestan and the suffering of the people.
According to the state-run Borna website, Mojtaba Yousefi said: “Twelve MPs have traveled to Khuzestan province and they had a hard time to believe that while this province possesses 700 wells, 5 huge rivers, 7 big dams as well as oil wells, the villagers are still deprived of drinking water. There are many remote villages whose drinking water and living conditions are very poor and they have problems with the most basic issues.”
Admitting to the nationwide mismanagement, he added: “There are some provinces and cities that are even unable to manage their water and sewage as well as other basic issues. For example, we see these problems in Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchestan, south of Kerman, Ilam and Kermanshah.
People Don’t Trust the Government, Khamenei’s Rep. Admits
Khamenei’s representative in Tabriz, Mohammad Ali Al-Hashim, admitted during a speech that the Iranian people have a deep distrust in the government.
According to the local Sahand Tabriz TV, while he was blaming the Rouhani administration, Al-Hashim said: “Despite the change of administration, the problem with inflation and market instability remain and in these circumstances, our dear people are wondering why? Answering this question, one has to argue that the thirteenth government is in a difficult situation. The nation’s distrust of the government is the worst legacy of the past administration that has been transferred to the new one.”
Two Executions in Iran
The Iranian regime’s Judiciary executed two prisoners in Qom and Qazvin prisons at dawn on Wednesday, November 17th.
One of them, who has been in prison for more than 4 years and 7 months, is identified as Rahmat Fereydoni. Another prisoner was identified as Sobhan Mollai, who was 30 years old.
UPDATE: 2:30 AM CET
Protesters in Isfahan Continue Overnight
On Sunday, for the fourteenth consecutive day of their sit-in, protesters at the Zayandeh Rud river warned state officials and gave an ultimatum to respond to their demands by Thursday. Otherwise, they said they will gather a large crowd by Friday.
According to the state-run Khabar Online, instead of water, the people have flooded Zayandeh Rud and their call about water shortages is being heard in all Iranian cities. Months after Khuzestan, the call is now coming from the central plateau, Isfahan.
Iranian Mahan Air Hacked
According to state-run websites Rokna and Fartak News, on Saturday, November 20, there have been numerous reports on social media about an alleged cyberattack on Mahan Airlines. Members of Mahan Airlines’ customer club, as well as its clients, have been receiving text messages about the hack.
Fartak News reported: “While the possibility of a cyber attack on Mahan Airlines has increased, Zolanvari, the Public Relations Manager of Mahan Airlines, told our reporter that the cyberattack was from outside Iran, but won’t disrupt flights. He also claimed that the attack has already been resolved.”
Rokna state news agency wrote: Social media users reported a cyberattack on Mahan Airlines, but no official has yet commented on this.”
At the moment of this writing, the Mahan Airlines website (mahan.aero) remains unavailable.
UPDATE: 2:00 AM CET
Victims’ Families of PS752 in Tehran Shout ‘Death to Khamenei!’
Today, as the Iranian regime held its first staged military trial in Tehran for the perpetrators of downing the Ukrainian airliner PS752, the victims’ families gathered in front of the court and chanted “Death to Khamenei”, “Death to the IRGC” and “Death to the Islamic Republic”.
Heavily surrounded by police and intelligence forces, the families called for a real trial for those responsible for killing their loved ones. The incident sparked widespread outrage among Iranians on social media, both inside and outside the country.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
Protests in Isfahan Reflect Social Conditions Across Iran
Friday 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. On Friday, thousands of protesters joined the farmers in their cries for justice and basic rights. Zayandeh Rud, which is the largest river in central Iran, has become a rallying point for people who are fed up with more than four decades of tyranny and corruption under the rule of the mullahs.
Freedom-loving Iranians, MEK Supporters Rally in Geneva in Solidarity with Isfahan Uprising — November 19, 2021
Freedom-loving Iranians, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), held a rally in front of the U.N. European Office in Nations Square in Geneva, Switzerland, in support of the protests of farmers and the people of Isfahan and the anniversary of the November 2019 uprising.
MEK Resistance Units: We Honor the Memory of the Nov. 2019 Uprising; We Will Keep the Fire of Uprising Alive
On the second anniversary of the November 2019 protests, Resistance Units across Iran are commemorating the nationwide uprising and pledging to continue the path of the martyrs who laid down their lives for freedom in Iran. Resistance Units are a network of activists who support the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) who are playing an important role in countering the environment of suppression caused by the regime’s security forces.
Tehran Head of Friday Prayer Says Cause of Poverty Is Lack of Faith
Four decades after the mullah’s dictatorship came to power, Iranians are more impoverished whilst government officials are getting wealthier. According to various reports, 80% of Iranians live below the absolute poverty line. This means that they lack proper food, clothing, medical treatment, housing, and they can barely make ends meet to support their family. Recent reports show that Iranians have resorted to renting homes shared with another family or even renting rooftops.
Khamenei, Main Traitor to Iran’s Future
According to the statistics published by the Iranian government, every year 700 thousand Iranians leave the country. Immigration that observers say is the result of a hell of poverty and repression created by the mullahs. On November 17, the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei tried to introduce the culprit of this disaster as someone other than himself and said:
“It has been reported to me, of course, the report nothing new, that something exists is some of the universities for a while that some elements are encouraging the elite youth to leave the country. I’m saying it explicitly, this is betrayal.”
5.1 Magnitude Earthquake in Northern Iran
On Saturday, November 20, the Geophysical Institute of the Tehran University reported a 5.1 magnitude earthquake at 4:15 pm local time at a depth of 10 km in the Caspian Sea. According to this report, Parsabad which is located in Ardabil province was the closest Iranian city to the epicenter of the quake, 255 km away.
The state television quoted Ibrahim Emami, the governor of Parsabad that there have been no reports sent about damage caused by the earthquake.
Read more: Iran News in Brief – November 20, 2021
