Iran's Cyber Police Step Up Online Crackdown On Un-Islamic Activities

In an interview with reformist Jamaran News, Saeed Moidfar, the former Tehran University academic, underscored the Islamic Republic's repeated failures in imposing its desired lifestyle and compulsory hijab, which the people have fiercely resisted.

“Homogenizing is a project pursued by ideological states. They try to see everyone as similar; there is no longer any diversity in culture, values, norms, or lifestyles,” Moidfar explained. “The project has, of course, failed worldwide despite using force.”

Even with setbacks, the regime seems to persist in its attempts to revert the situation to pre-2022 protests, a move that the sociologist suggests is bound to fail as “norms or rules can be accepted if people agree with them.”

Following the wave of protests known as the Woman Life Freedom movement, during which at least 550 protesters were murdered by security forces, including dozens of children, the government took the morality police out of the streets.

Even in religious cities, many women now only partially cover their hair, wear heavy makeup and tight-fitting clothing, or even drop their headscarves altogether.

On April 13, however, the police launched a new crackdown against women called the Nour Initiative. Now, women rebelling against the hijab are the subject of morality police violence again.

Moidfar said that over the last three or four years, some parts of the state have not been concerned about the social consequences of their policies, actions, and plans. Hinting that they may be trying to maintain popularity among a minority that supports them, he said, “The reality is that a large part of society is going their separate way.”

It is possible to divide the minority Moeidfar divides into roughly into three categories: non-confrontational individuals, ordinary religious people, and hardliners.

Since President Ebrahim Raisi's administration took office 32 months ago, the situation has worsened for the ruling class. The president is now a hardliner, so Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who essentially selected him, cannot attribute the deep economic problems to him, which was his strategy during ‘moderate’ Hassan Rouhani’s tenure.

Iran's economic situation has deteriorated, and inflation is officially at more than 52%, with food prices rising higher than ever.

Consequently, a section of society that avoided confrontation but whose red line was financial concerns does not appear to be content any longer.

In particular, they are concerned that nothing appears to be done to improve the economy. Khamenei’s strategy of looking to the East rather than the West has proven problematic. China is eager to buy discounted Iranian oil but wary of political ties, while Russia is tied to Putin's costly invasion of Ukraine. Instead of seeing an economic boost from ties to Russia, Iran is bound to another heavily sanctioned system.

The regime has desperately tried to overestimate the number of ordinary religious people to maintain its power, and its attempt to implement its ideology through force has even disappointed them.

During the latest wave of repression, more women from the "reformist" camp and religious backgrounds have joined Iranian protesters in demanding freedom of choice. A prominent Islamic scholar, Sedigheh Vasmaghi, 63, has stripped off her veil and publicly criticized Khamenei as a dictator and condemned the compulsory hijab law.
Another example is Mostafa Tajzadeh, who, in a letter from prison on Thursday, pointed to Khameni's responsibility for the recent crackdown on women, saying he has no clear strategy for addressing rampant inflation and has resorted to oppressive measures to silence public debate.

"Inflation, corruption, and oppression are turning Iran and its cities into a ticking time bomb," Tajzadeh wrote.

Chamran said on Sunday that the details of the agreement were “confidential and its disclosure poses a security issue.”

He also claimed that the contract was executed under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Bank. Chamran claimed that a similar contract was in place in 2017, suggesting that such dealings were not uncommon.

However, recent reports highlight growing concerns and criticism from city council members about the municipality's clandestine agreements with the Chinese company, aimed at importing transport and traffic surveillance equipment, among other items.

The contract, signed by Mayor Alireza Zakani, is expected to be funded by the proceeds from Iran's oil exports to China and the accumulated money there amid US sanctions.

During a January visit to China, Zakani confirmed that he had signed several agreements, including a 1.67 million euro deal in the transportation sector. Items listed in the deal include electric buses, vans, taxis, subway cars, and traffic cameras. Despite the disclosures, detailed specifics of the contract remain undisclosed, prompting urgent calls for transparency from Tehran city councilors and the media.

The financing of the contract has also raised eyebrows. Tehran's city government lacks direct access to substantial hard currency, which is typically controlled by the state. It is speculated that the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's office may have authorized the project.

Adding to the controversy, whistle-blower Yashar Soltani recently revealed on his website that the Chinese company tasked with importing public transport vehicles to Tehran is relatively new, established only in 2010, and highlighted "numerous violations" in the agreement with Tehran Municipality.

The main reason for soaring rents and property prices is persistent high inflation, staying above 40 percent in the past five years. The national currency, rial, has fallen more than 15-fold since 2018 when the United States withdrew from the JCPOA nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran’s oil exports.

Azimi, a resident of District 5 of Tehran Municipality, located in the northwest of the capital, shared his distressing experience with Khabaronline news website in Tehran shedding light on the grim reality faced by countless Iranians.

"The owner of our house has raised the price more than I can afford," Azimi lamented. Following a 40% increase in rent demanded by the landlord, Azimi found himself unable to meet the exorbitant figure. Desperate for alternatives, he sought out smaller accommodations, only to be met with substantially higher rents for significantly smaller living spaces, leaving him with no viable option but to relocate to another area.

The latest reports from Iran's economic daily Donyaye Eqtesad revealed a staggering 42% increase in rents in April 2024 compared to the previous year, with projections indicating further spikes in the coming months, exacerbating the plight of Iranian tenants already grappling with financial precarity.

Azimi emphasized the disproportionate rental costs in his area, ranging from 4-5 billion rials annually, approximately between $6510 - $8140, averaging around $610 per month, rendering renting in his district unaffordable for the average citizen. With civil servants and ordinary workers earning meager monthly salaries barely exceeding $200, the disparity between income and housing costs has reached alarming levels.

Furthermore, the daunting prospect of purchasing a home remains elusive for many including Azimi, with the average cost of one square meter (11 sq feet) of apartments in Tehran and most other major cities above $1150.

"I have been a tenant in Tehran for many years, but I still haven't been able to get a housing loan," Azimi added.

Echoing Azimi's sentiments, another resident from the same district voiced distress over the worsening rental market crisis, stating, "While there are numerous rental properties available, the issue lies in their unattainable prices for prospective tenants, leaving us questioning who can actually afford them." Additionally, they added, "In fact, I encountered a 100% rent hike compared to last year, with no foreseeable plans in place to assist us."

A trade union activist from District 7 of Tehran, one of the urban areas of the capital, corroborated these grievances, citing a staggering 50% increase in the rental market. Additionally, he pointed to the stagnant real estate market caused by dwindling purchasing power regarding homeownership, adding that "no one is able to buy a house". "Property prices have decreased slightly, but it should be noted that the decrease in prices was not caused by inflation control, but due to a sharp decrease in purchasing power…” he added.

According to statistics released by the Statistical Center of Iran, the housing market witnessed an annual inflation rate of nearly 40% in the preceding twelve months. Moreover, late last year, Donyaye Eqtesad unveiled a startling statistic: the average time required for people to save enough money to purchase a home in Tehran has surged to 112 years.

As Iranians endure the relentless onslaught of rising rents, urgent intervention, and comprehensive measures are imperative to address the housing crisis. However, adding to the woes of Iranian tenants is the lack of government intervention and support.

Despite President Ebrahim Raisi's promise during his 2021 presidential campaign to tackle Iran's housing crisis by building one million affordable homes each year, there has been no indication of any new housing being delivered.

Furthermore, in 2022, reports emerged that Iranian banks refuse to give government-mandated mortgages and loans to people, despite the government's promise to help low-income workers.

In the midst of Iranians grappling with an annual inflation rate surpassing 40% over the last five years, compounded by low wages and a falling national currency now exceeding 610,000 against the US dollar, they now have to face the daunting challenge of securing a roof over their heads.

“American student protestors being brutalized by US security forces have a much greater claim to protecting Palestinians than the Custodians of Holy Mosques,” he wrote in his Sunday tweet.

However, Zarif's comments quickly sparked outrage on social media, particularly in light of recent revelations concerning the sexual assault and murder of 16-year-old Nika Shakarami by agents of the Islamic Republic. Critics accuse Zarif of being complicit in the crimes of the regime he once represented.

Ashkan Kalashy, responding to Zarif's post, highlighted the hypocrisy of his statement: "Seriously? You were the foreign minister of one of the most brutal regimes in the world. During your tenure, more than 1,500 protesters were killed in less than a week. How can you talk about US students with a straight face?"

Another user predicted Zarif's imminent accountability in court for his involvement in the regime's actions against humanity.

“Javad you are finished. You will be very soon seen in courts for being a partner in crime of IR devastating acts against humanity. We will take back our lovely IRAN from you occupiers. You came to an end, you are finished Javad,” he wrote.

The conversations reveal a deep-seated resentment towards a figure once seen as the diplomatic face of Iran.

Pro-Palestinian student protests across the US have been manipulated by the regime to reinforce its anti-Israel rhetoric. American students have been organizing rallies and sit-ins, pushing their institutions to disclose and divest from investments associated with Israel.

Iranian officials have expressed support for the protesters, which has cast a spotlight on the Iranian regime's apparent hypocrisy. While the regime publicly champions the freedom of expression of American students, it simultaneously suppresses the voices of its own citizens who dare to speak out.

The border fortification plan, which was revealed last month, entails building a four-meter concrete wall, along with barbed wire, fencing, and proper roads along the northwestern and eastern borders, all scheduled for completion within the next three years.

Rezaei highlighted, "This initiative specifically targets areas known for frequent illegal activities, including drug trafficking and the movement of outlaws, as well as potential terrorist threats."

Iran's Deputy Interior Minister, Majid Mirahmadi, announced last week an investment of three billion euros to "quickly start sealing the borders," amidst ongoing clashes with Taliban forces.

"This comprehensive effort includes the installation of fences, walls, and intelligent border control systems, ensuring a robust defense of our national borders," Mirahmadi added.

Tensions along Iran's borders have been highlighted by multiple incidents, including the capture and subsequent release of five Iranian border guards by Taliban forces on April 25 as tensions escalated in recent months.

The eastern borders of Iran have also been troubled by the intensified activities of the insurgent Sunni Baluch group, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), which advocates for enhanced rights and improved living conditions for the Baluch ethnic minority.

The group has been a consistent source of tension with Iran. In response to attacks attributed to Jaish al-Adl, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has conducted cross-border operations into Pakistan, which have led to retaliatory attacks.

Jaish al-Adl was responsible for multiple attacks in the Sistan-Baluchistan province in recent months, which resulted in the deaths of Iranian law enforcement officers.