Iranian security forces raid dissident filmmaker's residence

Former political prisoner and rights activist Foad Choobin reported Bodaghi's suicide on his X account on Monday.

Human rights groups said his death followed a prolonged period of psychological trauma and abuse stemming from his imprisonment.

Bodaghi was arrested in his hometown of Izeh in Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province — one of the epicenters of discontent following the death of a young woman, Mahsa 'Jina' Amini, in morality police custody.

Amini’s September 2022 death sparked the largest wave of anti-government protests in Iran since 2009. They were ultimately stamped out with deadly force.

Izeh was the site of some of the Islamic Republic’s most violent crackdowns. On November 16, 2022, Iranian security forces opened fire on protesters, killing at least seven people including 9-year-old Kian Pirfalak.

The boy's death became a symbol of the uprising and a rallying cry for demonstrators demanding justice and change.

'War against God'

Bodaghi was accused of participating in the protests and was imprisoned under charges that carry the death penalty in Iran, including corruption on earth and waging war against God (moharebeh). He spent 16 months in Sheyban Prison in Ahvaz, under the authority of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to Choobin, Bodaghi was subjected to physical and psychological torture, and was administered pills of unknown origin.

“Despite being detained for over sixteen months, Mr. Bodaghi remained in an uncertain legal state in Sheyban Prison," the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) quoted a source close to his family as saying in a report last year.

"He suffered from mental health issues and attempted suicide multiple times while in custody," the report said.

He was released in March 2024 under heavy bail conditions. But Choobin says the trauma and mental anguish persisted long after his release, ultimately leading to his death.

Shahin Milani, Executive Director of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, called for accountability in the wake of Bodaghi’s death.

“The circumstances of Mr. Bodaghi’s death, as well as those of several other protesters who died shortly after release, warrant a full investigation," Milani told Iran International, "Whether caused by psychological harm due to torture or administration of unknown substances to prisoners, the Islamic Republic’s role in the tragic deaths of former detainees should be fully determined."

While no official data exists on how many protesters have died by suicide, Iran Human Rights reports that at least 22 people — including four children and eight women — have died by suicide or under suspicious circumstances following their detention in connection with the Woman, Life, Freedom protests.

Among the most high-profile cases is Kianoosh Sanjari, a well-known journalist and human rights advocate who died by suicide on November 13, 2024. Sanjari, who had worked for Voice of America’s Farsi service, jumped from a building in Tehran after posting a message demanding the release of four political prisoners.

He had warned publicly that if they were not freed, he would end his life. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and VOA held the Iranian government accountable, citing years of harassment, torture and imprisonment as contributing factors in his death.

As the Islamic Republic stays keen to quash dissent and unrest, Bodaghi’s death adds to the growing list of individuals whose lives were lost not only in the streets but long after the protests were silenced.

The move effectively creates a three-day weekend aimed at curbing the strain on water and energy systems during peak heat.

But residents across the country told Iran International's submissions line that the measure triggered mass departures from major cities, relocating rather than reducing consumption.

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani has framed the weekly closures as an opportunity for the Iranian people to rest and take vacations following the 12-day war with Israel.

“Not only has there been no positive effect,” wrote one resident of northern Iran, “it’s made things worse. Tehran residents rush north or to nearby towns (for vacation), and now we suffer power cuts and water shortages too.”

Iran International asked its audience whether the closure had improved water availability in their regions. Dozens of respondents from Tehran, Mashhad, Qazvin, Bushehr and beyond described worsening outages and mounting utility costs.

“Before these holidays, we never had water cuts. Now it’s happening several times a day,” said one resident of Mashhad in the northeast. Others blamed the government for unequal access.

An audience in western Tehran said that in their neighborhood, which is home to personnel belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, “we haven’t had a single water cut,” while surrounding districts faced regular disruption.

Reservoirs near historic lows

Four of the five reservoirs supplying the capital are nearly empty, with only 13% of capacity remaining, Tehran Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said on Wednesday.

“About 13% is the current fill level of the four main reservoirs, meaning that 87% of the reservoir responsible for supplying drinking water to Tehran are empty.”

More than 60% of the city’s water now comes from depleted groundwater—double the rate of a decade ago.

Motamedian attributed Tehran’s outsized demand to population density, which he said exceeds the national average by a factor of 21. He confirmed that 42% of the province’s water is consumed for drinking and sanitation—far above the 8% national average.

But many Iranians say government mismanagement, not personal consumption, is to blame.

“This Islamic Republic has spent decades funneling our wealth into foreign militias and nuclear programs,” one respondent said. “Not a single long-term plan for water or the environment has ever materialized.”

Living under extreme pressure, respondents offered various elaborate explanations for alleged official motives behind the shortages.

“They just want people to leave Tehran so it stays quiet,” one said. “They’re scared the heat and outages will spark protests.”

Another viewer wrote, “This isn’t about water. This is about keeping people from the streets.”

'Failure at every level'

Some reported deteriorating infrastructure and rising costs without warning. “We used to have water all day in Mashhad—now it cuts out repeatedly,” one audience said. Others described sudden hikes in electricity bills and inconsistent rationing that appeared to favor certain areas.

Messages also reflected broader disillusionment. “Please, help us. We are exhausted,” one message read. “No one listens. We are at the end of the line.”

With reservoirs exhausted and groundwater declining, officials have warned that more shutdowns may be imposed.

“If necessary, every week may be off from Tuesday or Wednesday (until Saturday),” Tehran lawmaker Amirhossein Sabeti warned Wednesday.

Reza Sepahvand, a member of the Parliament’s Energy Committee, also announced the possibility of water rationing in Iran in the coming months.

“At the moment, the only way to manage the situation is to reduce the outages ... Unfortunately, we will likely see water rationing in most parts of the country in the coming months — a process that has already begun in some provinces and cities,” he told the local media Wednesday.

But few believe such measures can reverse years of overuse, climate stress and systemic neglect.

“We’re living through the slow collapse of the state,” a citizen from Astara on the Caspian Sea said.

“This isn’t about the weather anymore. It’s about failure at every level.”

“I think they (Iran) got involved in this negotiation, telling Hamas, giving them signals and orders. And that's not good,” Trump told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with the United Kingdom's prime minister on Monday.

His remarks appeared to be the first blaming Iran for the continuing impasse.

The latest round of negotiations with the Iranian-backed Palestinian armed group in Qatar ended without results. White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff cut his trip short and left on July 24.

“While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff announced on X.

Trump said the United States remains engaged with the Gaza issue, including plans to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian aid amid an escalating hunger crisis and initiatives to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

'We'll wipe it out'

Turning to Iran's nuclear program, Trump warned that if the Islamic Republic moves toward any form of nuclear weapons capability, he will not hesitate to authorize further military strikes.

“They can start again. If they do, we'll wipe it out faster than you can wave your finger at it. We'll have to do that. We will do that gladly, openly and gladly,” Trump said.

Israel launched a 12-day military campaign against Iran on June 13, killing hundreds of Iranian military personnel, nuclear scientists and civilians. In retaliation, missile strikes by Iran killed 27 Israeli civilians.

On June 22, the United States entered the conflict by striking Iran’s nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow using long-range bombers and submarine-launched missiles. The United Stated promptly brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel which effect on June 25.

The Trump administration has maintained for months that it does not oppose peaceful Iranian nuclear activity but has demanded Tehran end domestic enrichment.

“Reports that there have been several hundred executions in Iran so far this year underscore how deeply disturbing the situation has become and the urgent need for an immediate moratorium in the country on the use of the death penalty,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement.

According to data gathered by the UN Human Rights Office, at least 612 people were executed in the first half of 2025. That figure is more than double the number recorded in the same period last year.

“It is alarming to see the reports that indicate there are at least 48 people currently on death row – 12 of whom are believed to be at imminent risk of execution,” Türk said.

The UN said more than 40 percent of the executions so far this year were for drug-related offences, while others were convicted under broad and vaguely worded charges, including “enmity against God” and “corruption on Earth.”

Human rights experts have repeatedly warned that such charges are often used to criminalize political dissent and suppress freedom of expression.

“Information received by my office also indicates that judicial proceedings in a number of cases, often held behind closed doors, have consistently failed to meet due process and fair trial guarantees,” the High Commissioner said.

Minority groups remain disproportionately affected by executions, the UN added, although it did not specify which groups were most at risk. Rights organizations have previously documented disproportionate targeting of Iran's Baluch, Kurdish, and Baháʼí communities in politically sensitive cases.

The rise in executions follows a wave of repression in the aftermath of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Guardian Council is in the final stages of reviewing a controversial espionage bill that would expand the definition of “collaboration with hostile states”—an offence punishable by death.

The proposed legislation includes acts such as online communication, cooperation with foreign media, and what it terms “ideological alignment” with foreign governments.

“This bill dangerously broadens the scope of capital punishment for espionage, and I call for it to be rescinded,” Türk said.

“The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity,” he added. “Instead of accelerating executions, I urge Iran to join the worldwide movement abolishing capital punishment, starting with a moratorium on all executions.”

Iran is one of the world’s top executioners, second only to China, according to human rights groups.

The man from New York is said to have left Iran 30 years ago and was among 35 Jews in the country detained on spy charges in the wake of the war with Israel.

He had traveled to Iran along with another Jew of Iranian origin who was also arrested but was since released on bail.

Israel’s Ynet quoted a legal representative involved in the case who remained anonymous, who said: ”They came to the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Homayoun Sameyah Najafabadi, the only Jewish representative in Iran’s parliament, said Sunday that the charge of espionage has been formally dismissed against all Jewish detainees held in Tehran, and that the majority of those arrested are expected to be released soon.

“I am proud to announce that following a two-hour meeting with Mohammad Taghavi, the head of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, it was agreed that three of the five detained members of our community will be released on light bail,” Najafabadi wrote in a statement. “We hope the remaining two individuals in Tehran will also be freed soon.”

In addition to developments in the capital, Najafabadi also addressed the situation in Alborz province, where a larger group of Jewish Iranians had been detained in recent weeks.

“With regard to the eleven individuals arrested in Alborz province, I am pleased to report that... five women were released on bail last week,” he said. “Additionally, three men were freed from detention just a few days ago.”

He added that he would continue to pursue the release of the remaining detainees in the province. “Tomorrow, a meeting will be held with Ahmad Nowrouzi, the head of the judiciary in Alborz province, regarding the status of the remaining detainees.”

Najafabadi also said that efforts were underway in Shiraz concerning another community member who remains in custody. “With regard to a fellow citizen detained in Shiraz, I, along with the respected head of the Shiraz Jewish Association, am actively pursuing the matter and we hope to witness positive results soon.”

In the wake of the war, 35 Jews were arrested in Tehran and Shiraz, as well as the Alborz province, on suspicion of ties to Israel. The 10,000 strong community has long been pressured to publicly express loyalty to the Islamic Republic and is banned from communicating with relatives in Israel.

Their arrests were part of a mass crackdown, in which 2,000 Iranians were arrested, including members of other minorities including Azeris, Kurds, and members of the Baha'i faith, on suspicion of collaboration with Israel.

The US State Department’s spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, issued a warning last month, telling dual nationals or American citizens not to travel to Iran.

The State Department website still warns: “Americans, including Iranian-Americans and other dual nationals, have been wrongfully detained, taken hostage by the Iranian government for months, and years. The threat of detention is even greater today. Do not travel to Iran under any circumstances.”