Iran Exploits US Campus Protests To Gain Political Leverage

The accident occurred near the village of Khotanan in the Syunik region, where the bus reportedly veered off a ravine.

According to news.am, an Armenian news website, the bus was en route from Yerevan to Iran, carrying passengers who were Iranian nationals. There are also unconfirmed reports suggesting that the bus had Iranian license plates.

Armenia has become a popular destination for Iranian tourists, especially those opting to travel by bus. Its proximity, shared historical connections, and visa-free entry for Iranian citizens making it an attractive getaway.

Traveling by bus offers an affordable route into Armenia, typically entering through the Nordooz border crossing, which is the only active border crossing between the two countries.

Iranians traveling to Armenia are often drawn by several attractive factors, including the relative ease of access to alcohol, and greater social freedoms. Armenia's liberal laws regarding alcohol consumption stand in contrast to Iran's strict prohibition, making it a particularly appealing destination for those seeking to enjoy nightlife and social gatherings without legal restrictions.

Additionally, the broader social freedoms available in Armenia, including more open expressions of culture and lifestyle, provide a refreshing change for many Iranians.

The council's statement points to "mismanagement and lack of foresight by officials" as the root causes behind Iran’s “academic decline, the educational exclusion of hundreds of thousands of children, dwindling student motivation, and the commercialization of education.”

The rally is part of a series of actions in recent years where Iranian teachers have protested for better pay and working conditions.

There has been an increase in the arrest of educators and the imposition of harsh prison sentences recently.

Despite facing government pushback, including summonses, detentions, and imprisonments, the educators have persistently continued their demonstrations.

Union leaders have faced harassment, prosecution, and imprisonment due to their activities.

Hundreds of teachers calling for reforms are expected to gather at 10am in front of the Planning and Budget Organization in Tehran, as well as in front of the General Departments of Education in provincial capitals, and local education offices in other cities.

Unconfirmed reports are circulating on social media that the shares of two leading Iranians startups, Digikala and Snapp, were sold to government-affiliated communication operators, Hamrah-e Aval and Irancell. Digikala is Iran’s biggest online retailer and Snapp is the country’s main ridesharing app. Likewise, half of the shares of Tapsi, another ridesharing app, was sold to Golrang Industrial Group, a government-backed holding.

In an interview with Jahan-e-Sanat daily, Mohsen Mirsadri, the chairman of the commission for new businesses and knowledge enterprises of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, warned against the government’s rising influence in the startup sector.

“Competition is one of the main drivers of exploration and creativity, and when governments play a large role in the economy, it becomes uncompetitive. As governmental and quasi-governmental enterprises increasingly intervene in the economy, it impacts all other rival companies,” he stated amid the country's economic crisis.

In recent years, Iranian startups have been facing numerous obstacles, including long-term inflation, international sanctions against the country and the resultant problems with currency transfers, depreciation of Iran’s national currency and migration of skilled workforce, he stated, further adding that the unpredictability of Iran’s economic conditions has caused a recession in investment and the withdrawal of productive capital from the startup sector.

Under such circumstances, companies like Digikala, Snapp, and Tapsi might find no other way for survival than resorting to governmental and quasi-governmental companies.

Meanwhile, the owner of an Iran-based tourism startup who spoke to Iran International on the condition of anonymity, stressed that the government’s security and intelligence agencies have recently ramped up their efforts to control startups and digital companies.

“Intelligence agencies will initially ask digital companies to cooperate on security issues, particularly to provide users’ private data. If they refuse do so, the government will begin to exercise pressure on them in different ways,” he remarked, further adding that the government of President Ebrahim Raisi has employed a tougher stance towards independent startups after the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom movement, triggered by the death in morality-police custody of Mahsa Amini.

“Once controlled by the government, these startups can also be a safe haven for money-laundering and thus serve the interests of people and organizations affiliated with the Islamic Republic,” he pointed out.

This is while Vice President for Science and Technology Rouhollah Dehghani Firouzabadi rejected as “rumors” recent reports regarding the government’s pressure on startups to sell their shares. Digikala and Tapsi both sought the government’s help to revamp their activities and we agreed to help them, he claimed.

In February, Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of the hardline newspaper Kayhan and a figure close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said that the management of several digital companies, such as Digikala and Snapp, will “fortunately” be transferred to those “who serve the state.”

In August, several online shopping platforms, including Digikala, were shut down by the government over their staff’s defiance against compulsory hijab. Digikala was also accused of blasphemy in February over designing mugs, cups, and shoes with names and humorous short texts, some of which reference holy Shia figures like Fatemeh Zahra, the daughter of Islam’s prophet. Following the allegations, pro-government vigilantes wrote threatening messages on the walls of the company’s building in Tehran.

Mohammad Mirkhani noted the shifting dynamics within the medical field, which was once considered a prestigious profession. "The medical profession has seen an increase in financial difficulties, making doctors more vulnerable emotionally and within their family lives due to demanding work conditions," he said.

He described the hospital environment as "military-like," particularly harsh for medical residents who sometimes endure up to 72 hours without sleep, leading to severe depression.

The recent suicide of Samira Al-e-Saeedi, an associate professor of rheumatology at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, has reignited concerns about mental health security among healthcare workers.

Her colleague Mohammad Abdous expressed his concerns on social media, pointing out the immense work-related stress doctors face compared to other professions. Al-e-Saeedi had reportedly disclosed her suicidal intentions to her peers, who failed to take her seriously.

Nima Shahriarpour, an emergency medicine specialist, also revealed that research indicates a 3.1 to fivefold increase in suicide rates among the medical community.

"Among 14,000 medical assistants nationwide, an average of 13 commit suicide annually," Shahriarpour added.

The Iranian Legal Medicine Organization, which operates as part of the judiciary, refuses to reveal the exact cause of the suspicious deaths of young doctors.

Suicide rates among medical students have also escalated to alarming levels. In February, the head of the Iranian Psychiatric Scientific Association reported that 16 medical residents had taken their lives over the past year, emphasizing the mental health challenges faced by those in the medical field.

The statement also warned that the law would weaken Iraq’s ability to diversify its economy and attract foreign investment.

"This amendment threatens those most at risk in Iraqi society. It can be used to hamper free-speech and expression and inhibit the operations of NGOs across Iraq," a State Department statement said.

Iraq's parliament passed a law on Saturday criminalizing same-sex relationships with a maximum 15-year prison sentence, saying the move aimed to uphold religious values. Rights advocates condemned the law as the latest attack on the LGBT community in Iraq.
Iran and other Islamic countries have also anti-homosexuality laws of various severity.
Same-sex activity between male adults is a crime in the Islamic Republic and is punishable by death if it occurs between consenting adults according to the country’s Sharia-based criminal code.

The sentence for female homosexuality between consenting adult women, however, is 100 lashes in the first three instances and a death sentence will be carried out if the offense is repeated for a fourth time.

Proof of homosexuality requires a confession by the offenders or the testimony of four “righteous men”.

Death sentence for homosexuality was rarely carried out, but four men were hanged in Maragheh in northwestern Iran in two separate cases in July and January 2022.