‘Repentance room’ in Tehran metro station fans flames of hijab war

The group said it was a response to government-led demolitions of homes in the region to expand the Makran coast.

The group announced on social media that its members entered the building, evacuated staff and visitors, and then detonated explosives.

Zahedan’s prosecutor, Mehdi Shamsabadi, said a sound bomb exploded at the Coordination Office for Eastern Chabahar Villages, partially destroying the site.

“Security and intelligence forces are investigating those responsible, and the necessary judicial orders have been issued,” he said.

No casualties were reported.

Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, reported that armed individuals stormed the office, forced people out, and then set off explosives.

Jaish al-Adl said the attack was part of its “commitment to holding government offices accountable” for their role in displacing the Baloch population.

The group has carried out multiple attacks on security forces in Sistan and Baluchestan in recent years.

In November, four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in clashes during a military drill in Rask County.

Jaish al-Adl also claimed responsibility for an attack in October that left ten Iranian military personnel dead.

Both Iran and the United States have designated Jaish al-Adl as a terrorist organization.

The group has accused the government of demographic engineering in the Makran coast development project, saying the project undermines the cultural and religious identity of the region’s Baloch residents.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced on X that Mahdi Kiasati, who was jailed in the Netherlands at the US's request over alleged sanctions violations, will be returning to Iran within hours following the Dutch decision to reject his extradition. No further details were given.

At the same time, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, covering Tehran’s nuclear program and the ongoing territorial dispute over Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb islands between Iran and United Arab Emirates.

"Spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi about developments in the Middle East. Also highlighted Iran’s nuclear program and the window of opportunity for a new nuclear deal," Veldkamp wrote on X.

He also said that the Netherlands supports a peaceful resolution of the islands dispute through bilateral engagement based on international law.

The status of the islands has been a longstanding source of tension between Iran and the UAE. The islands have been under Iranian control since 1971, when Tehran took possession following the withdrawal of British forces from the Persian Gulf.

Iran insists the islands have always been an integral part of its territory, while the UAE claims that they were historically under the jurisdiction of the Qasimi sheikhs and that their claim transferred to the UAE upon its formation in 1971.

The conversation also addressed Iran’s nuclear program, with Veldkamp stressing the “window of opportunity” for a new nuclear deal. The Netherlands, alongside other European nations, has supported efforts to revive negotiations after the Trump administration’s 2018 withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and its “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions against Iran.

Since the US exit, Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the JCPOA, enriching uranium beyond agreed limits and restricting international inspections.

The call between Veldkamp and Araghchi comes as European nations continue to emphasize diplomacy amid growing tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.

Earlier this month, a German Foreign Office spokesperson reaffirmed that Germany, France, and the UK had held preliminary talks with Iran on its nuclear activities and regional issues. While Washington escalates its "maximum pressure" campaign, European allies remain committed to diplomatic engagement—keeping communication channels open despite Tehran’s hardened stance against negotiations with the US.

Ali Khamenei’s remarks on Wednesday, reported on Saturday, were made during a meeting with the ministry’s leadership to commemorate the 40th anniversary of its establishment.

“The Ministry of Intelligence must always cooperate fully with the government so that the current administration can carry out the heavy task of running the country well,” he said, adding that effective intelligence work is central to such cooperation.

The minister of intelligence and several other key ministers are directly selected by Khamenei . The structure reinforces the Supreme Leader’s overarching control over intelligence, military and security operations.

Esmail Khatib, the current intelligence minister delivered a report on countering security threats during the meeting, which highlights the direct line of accountability.

Khatib has been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for his alleged role in cyber operations and human rights abuse. In 2022, Washington designated both him and the ministry of intelligence for involvement in cyber activities against the US and its allies.

He had also played a key role in suppressing Iran’s 2009 Green Movement protests and demonstrations since 2019.

In recent years, the intelligence arm of the Revolutionary Guard has also assumed a prominent role in suppressing dissent, often arresting more protesters and prominent figures and maintaining its own detention centers.

Khamenei’s comments come amid growing domestic discontent over misgovernance and inflation, as well as external pressure, particularly from US President Donald Trump’s reinstatement of his “maximum pressure” policy.

Speaking to Didban Iran (Iran Monitor) on Thursday, Osman Salari, the deputy chairman of the parliament's legal committee, defended his proposed system, arguing that it “is not against religious democracy.” In Iran’s political structure, this form of pseudo-democracy restricts voter choice by allowing only candidates approved and shortlisted by the hardliner-dominated Guardian Council to appear on the ballot. In addition, political parties are severely restricted, and media is either government owned or monitored and controlled.

Salari added that although the Supreme Leader is the true head of the government, there is nothing wrong with him appointing a President to lead the executive branch.

Several Iranian media outlets and politicians have previously suggested replacing the public election of the President with a parliamentary system in which the President is chosen by members of parliament.

Public trust in the president's office and the tightly controlled election system has declined over the past 15 years, as it has become increasingly clear that the president has limited authority over major state issues.

According to the government-owned Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), the parliamentary system was most recently discussed in January 2022 when the agency analyzed the pros and cons of the two systems, drawing on the views of prominent Iranian political scientist Hossein Bashirieh.

ISNA outlined the advantages and disadvantages in a report, stating, "In the presidential system, both the parliament and the President are elected by the people for fixed terms. The parliament cannot remove the President from office, although it can impeach him. Conversely, the President does not have the authority to dissolve the parliament."

ISNA contrasted this with the parliamentary system, noting, "In the parliamentary system, the parliament can dismiss the head of the government (usually a prime minister) by withdrawing its vote of confidence. The Prime Minister also has the power to dissolve the parliament and call for new elections." The report also highlighted that the separation of the three branches of government is more clearly defined in the parliamentary system.

The push by Iranian politicians and media to change the political system stems from the ongoing conflict between the Supreme Leader and the President since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Since Khamenei became Supreme Leader the situation has gradually worsened as he has systematically monopolized power.

As Salari observed in his interview with Didban Iran, "all of Iran's former Presidents since 1989 have been accused of deviation," and Khamenei distanced himself from each of them before the end of their terms. Salari added that although these Presidents initially received Khamenei's endorsement, they often pursued political, economic, and social policies that diverged from his views. This divergence complicated decision-making, particularly on key economic and foreign policy issues.

Salari argued that “directly appointing presidents by Khamenei is still democratic because Khamenei was indirectly elected by the people.” However, this claim is controversial given the circumstances of his election by the Assembly of Experts, which was heavily influenced by its former deputy chairman, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Videos available online show Rafsanjani using his considerable influence to suppress opposition to Khamenei’s election.

In 2011, Khamenei expressed support for the idea of the president being elected by parliament, but he did not pursue it further despite the concept being revisited several times since then.

However, Salari's proposal is fundamentally different, as it places the choice of a president in the hands of one individual. It is unlikely that this idea will progress beyond mere suggestion, as Khamenei has consistently avoided taking direct responsibility for decisions that could significantly impact the structure of the government. He appears to prefer having a president elected by others, allowing him to distance himself and criticize the president if things go wrong.

“He had a performance at a café in western Tehran in Janatabad when plainclothes officers and the police arrived, arrested him and his composer, and detained several people there,” one source said, requesting to remain anonymous for security reasons.

A video obtained by Iran International shows the moment the officers storm the venue and detain the underground rapper. A masked man can be seen in the footage, who the source said was one of those who detained Eycin.

“They came with a van and took everyone away. The venue was also sealed off,” the source added, "Eycin had scheduled several performances in cafes, on a tour, in Qeshm in recent weeks."

The fans were later released but two sources told Iran International that Eycin and his composer remained in detention.

A source said that both Eysin and Sohrabi appeared in court on Friday morning, however the charges against them remain unknown.

“Lately, rappers have been organizing a lot of underground performances through various methods. It seems like they want to crack down before it spreads,” the source said.

International human rights organizations have condemned Iran's suppression of artistic expression in recent years.

In the aftermath of Iran's nationwide protests sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, at least two rappers - Toomaj Salehi and Saman Yasin - were sentenced to death in connection with their music. Following an international outcry, their death sentences were revoked.