DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Iran central bank governor blames protests for currency's fall
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"To make adjustments in the (foreign exchange) market, we in the Central Bank will act both as a market-maker and as a hard currency policymaker," Salehabadi told state TV. "Whichever hard currency is more in demand, we will offer that in the market." The dollar sold for as much as 395,600 rials on the unofficial market, up from 386,800 on Friday, according to foreign exchange site Bonbast.com. The rial has lost nearly 20% of its value since the nationwide protests erupted three months ago. According to the activist HRANA news agency, 495 protesters had been killed as of Friday, including 68 minors.

☆ Social media report protests by Iranian oil workers for higher wages
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 17 (Reuters) - Social media posts on Saturday purported to show a group of protesting oil workers in southern Iran demanding higher wages and retirment bonuses. The reported oil workers’ protests, which Reuters could not verify, comes amid an uprising across Iran, the boldest challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution. The nationwide protests were triggered by the Sept. 16 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old from Iran's Kurdish region, for wearing "inappropriate attire”. The activist HRANA news agency said on Saturday that a group of oil workers protested outside the Pars Oil and Petrochemical Company in Asaluyeh in the southern Bushehr Province on the Gulf coast. A combination of mass protests and strikes by oil workers and Bazaar merchants helped to sweep the clergy to power in the Iranian revolution four decades ago.

☆ Female protesters are being shot in the face, breasts, and genitals by Iranian security forces, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Iran's security forces are shooting women's faces, breasts, and genitals, medics say, per The Guardian. One doctor told the paper that security forces "wanted to destroy the beauty of these women." Several doctors treating protesters in secret to avoid arrest told The Guardian they observed female protesters had different wounds to male patients. Another doctor from Karaj, a city close to Tehran, accused Iranian security forces of shooting at the private body parts and faces of female protesters because of "an inferiority complex," The Guardian reported. According to the human rights group HRANA, as many as 469 protesters may have been killed in violent clashes with security forces, per Reuters.

☆ Iran state body reports 200 dead in protests, Raisi hails 'freedoms'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A top state security body meanwhile said that 200 people, including members of the security forces, had lost their lives in the unrest, a figure significantly lower than that given by the world body and rights groups. Amirali Hajizadeh, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander was quoted as saying on Monday that 300 people, including security force members, had been killed in the recent unrest. Javaid Rehman, a U.N.-appointed independent expert on Iran, said on Tuesday that more than 300 people had been killed in the protests, including more than 40 children. Rights group HRANA said that as of Friday 469 protesters had been killed, including 64 minors. "The people's protest has shown that the policies of the last 43 years have reached a dead end," he said in late November.

☆ Iran rejects U.N. investigation into protests - spokesperson
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Elwely Elwelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Iran will reject a newly-appointed independent U.N. investigation into the country's repression of anti-government protests, the foreign ministry said on Monday, as demonstrations showed no sign of abating. "Iran will have no cooperation with the political committee formed by the U.N. Rights Council," ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said. The U.N. Rights Council voted on Thursday to appoint a probe into Iran's deadly crackdown on protests. Iran has proof that Western nations were involved in protests that have swept the country, Kanaani said on Monday. He did not say whether that figure also included deaths among other security forces such as the Revolutionary Guards.

☆ Niece of Iran's supreme leader speaks out against his 'murderous and child-killing regime' as protests continue
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The niece of Iran's supreme leader condemned his regime in a video ahead of being imprisoned. Farideh Moradkhani praised Iran's protests and asked for countries to cut ties with Tehran. On Sunday, her brother posted a video to Twitter in which she condemned the country's regime, according to Agence France-Presse. "Oh free people, be with us and support us, so that your governments stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime," Moradkhani said, per CNN's translation. Moradkhani is related to Khamenei by marriage, her father Ali Tehrani having married the supreme leader's sister, according to CNN.

☆ U.S. Soccer briefly removed emblem from Iran flag to show support for protesters
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Hritika Sharma | Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AL RAYYAN, Qatar, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The United States Soccer Federation temporarily displayed Iran's national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic as a show of solidarity with protesters in Iran ahead of the two teams' World Cup clash on Tuesday. The intent of the posts was to show "support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights", U.S. Soccer media officer Michael Kammarman told a news conference on Sunday. The banner on U.S. Soccer's Twitter page was also changed on Saturday to feature the flag without the emblem. Iran's players declined to sing the national anthem in their first game against England in an apparent show of solidarity with protesters. They sang quietly on Friday before their 2-0 win over Wales, where boos and jeers were heard from Iran supporters.

☆ Niece of Iran's Supreme Leader urges world to cut ties with Tehran over unrest -online video
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"O free people, be with us and tell your governments to stop supporting this murderous and child-killing regime," Moradkhani said in the video. "This regime is not loyal to any of its religious principles and does not know any rules except force and maintaining power." HRANA said 450 protesters had been killed in more than two months of nationwide unrest as of Nov. 26, including 63 minors. On Nov. 23, Mahmoud Moradkhani reported her sister's arrest as she was heeding a court order to appear at the Tehran prosecutor's office. Criticism of the Islamic Republic by relatives of top officials is not unprecedented.

☆ Iran's Khamenei praises Basij forces for confronting 'riots' - TV
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that Basij militia forces sacrificed their lives in "riots" sparked by the death in custody of a young Iranian Kurdish woman in September. The Basij force, affiliated with the country's Revolutionary Guards, has been at the forefront of the state crackdown on protests that have spread across the country. "They have sacrificed their lives to protect people from rioters," Khamenei said in a televised speech. The activist news agency HRANA said as of Friday 448 protesters have been killed, including 63 children. It said 57 members of the security forces have also been killed, and an estimated 18,170 people arrested.

☆ Iran's Khamenei praises Basij forces for confronting 'rioters' -TV
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting with a group of Basij militia forces in Tehran, Iran November 26, 2022. Challenging the Islamic Republic’s legitimacy, protesters from all walks of life have burned pictures of Khamenei and called for the downfall of the Islamic Republic. The Basij forces, affiliated with the country's elite Revolutionary Guards, have been at the forefront of the state crackdown on the unrest in the past weeks. "They have sacrificed their lives to protect people from rioters ... the presence of Basij shows that the Islamic Revolution is alive," Khamenei said in a televised speech. Iran's hardline judiciary has sentenced at least six protesters to death and thousands have been indicted for their role in the unrest, according to officials.

☆ U.N. rights council votes to probe Iran's ongoing crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERSGENEVA/DUBAI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The U.N. Rights Council voted on Thursday to appoint an independent investigation into Iran's deadly repression of protests, passing the motion to cheers of activists amid an intensifying crackdown in Kurdish areas over recent days. Tehran's representative at the Geneva meeting Khadijeh Karimi earlier accused Western states of using the council to target Iran, a move she called "appalling and disgraceful". CRACKDOWNThe crackdown has been particularly intense in Kurdish areas, located in western Iran, with the U.N. rights monitor this week noting reports of 40 deaths there over the past week. Iranian authorities have arrested a number of soccer players for expressing their support for protests. Asked on Thursday about the unrest at home Iran national team striker Mehdi Taremi said they were in Qatar to play soccer.

Now, with mass protests, many would prefer it withdrew from the World Cup being held just across the Gulf from their homeland. Some Iranian fans who went to Qatar for the World Cup made no secret of their solidarity with the unrest. In the Iranian capital Tehran, some banners of the national team have been burned by angry protesters. Pejman Zarji, a 38-year-old sports coach who was in Qatar for the World Cup, said the Iranian team belonged to the people not the government. There’s something really important to understand (now) - 'Team Melli' is what we call the Iran team, it's the team of the people before being the team of the government," he said.

☆ Iran intensifies crackdown in Kurdish area; rights group says four killed
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Norway-based human rights group Hengaw said military helicopters carried members of the widely feared Revolutionary Guards to quell the protests in the Sunni-dominated Kurdish city of Mahabad. The widely-followed activist account 1500Tasvir said a 16-year-old student and a school teacher were killed in the Kurdish city of Javanrud. Iran's state media said calm had been restored in the area. "In (the Kurdish city of) Marivan repressive forces have opened fire at people," Hengaw said. Some 54 members of the security forces were also killed, it said, adding that more than 17,251 people have been arrested.

☆ Iran leader says 'enemies' may target workers as protests rage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

One of the boldest challenges to Iran's clerical leaders in decades, the protests have been gaining steam, frustrating authorities who have blamed Iran's foreign enemies and their agents for orchestrating the disturbances. But the enemies have a new trick every day, and with today's defeat, they may target different classes such as workers and women," state television quoted Khamenei as saying. Protests spread into the vital energy sector last month but demonstrations by workers, which have partly addressed demands linked to pay and working conditions, have been limited. In 1979, a combination of mass protests and strikes by oil workers and bazaar merchants helped to sweep the clergy to power in Iran's Islamic revolution. HRANA said 402 protesters had been killed in the unrest as of Friday, including 58 minors.

☆ Fact Check-Confusion spreads online about 15,000 people detained in Iran
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

CONFUSION SPREADSOn social media, the picture became blurred. Other social media users cited a Nov. 10 Newsweek article titled “Iran Protesters Refuse to Back Down as 15,000 Face Execution” as their source (here), (here), (here). Posts on social media conflated this with figures by local activist agencies that over 15,000 people had been detained. As of publication, death sentences have not been handed to 15,000 detained people. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here .

☆ U.S. sanctions senior employees of Iranian state-run media
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday sanctioned senior employees of an Iranian state-run media corporation it accused of being a "critical tool" in Iran's suppression and censorship of its people, stepping up pressure on Tehran over its crackdown on protests. The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on six senior employees of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), which was designated by Washington in 2013. "The United States remains committed to supporting the Iranian people as they continue their peaceful protests," he said, adding that Washington would continue to hold the Iranian government accountable for human rights violations and censorship. Those that engage in certain transactions with the targeted employees also risk being hit with sanctions. Iran, which said Amini's death was due to pre-existing conditions, has accused its enemies, including the United States, of fomenting the unrest to destabilise the country.

☆ Iranians strike to mark 2019 protests in fresh rebuff to ruling clerics
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In the latest protests, the rights activist HRANA news agency said 344 people have been killed, including 52 minors. Videos shared on social media showed strikes and gatherings in several cities and towns. On Monday, the European Union imposed additional sanctions over the crackdown on protests and French President Emmanuel Macron characterised the unrest as a revolution. A video on 1500Tasvir showed people running down a street in Tehran's western neighbourhood of Shahrak Gharb after several gunshots could be heard. The 1500Tasvir account also showed a video of people at a metro shouting "death to the dictator", a slogan referring to Khamenei.

☆ Iran players can protest at World Cup says coach Queiroz
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

DOHA, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Iran's players are free to join in the protests sweeping their country over women's rights while they are playing at the World Cup in Qatar but must do so within the rules of the tournament, national team coach Carlos Queiroz said on Tuesday. Iran said her death was due to pre-existing conditions and accused its enemies of fomenting the unrest to destabilise the country. “The players are free to protest as they would if they were from any other country as long as it conforms with the World Cup regulations and is in the spirit of the game,” Queiroz told a news conference. The coach said Iran’s players had set themselves the target of reaching the second round, despite being paired in a tough Group B with England, Wales and the United States. Iran have failed in their five previous World Cup finals appearances to reach the second round.

☆ EU piles pressure on Iran's leaders with more sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Parisa Hafezi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Macron said the crackdown by Iranian leaders would make it harder to reach agreement on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal, which would give Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. "I don't think there will be new proposals which can be made right now to save the nuclear deal." Speaking after he met four Iranian women activists in Paris over the weekend, Macron said that more European Union sanctions would be adopted in reaction to Tehran's actions. Iranian leaders blame foreign enemies including the United States for what they call riots. In a letter published by Emtedad news website, some 2,300 graduated students of Amirkabir University in Tehran urged authorities to release students detained.

☆ EU sanctions to target Iran Guards 'inner circle', Germany says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Sabine Siebold | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Fresh European Union sanctions will target the "inner circle of power" of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Germany said on Monday as the bloc convened to respond to what it has condemned as Tehran's widespread use of force against peaceful protesters. So far, 336 demonstrators have been killed in the unrest and nearly 15,100 detained, according to the activist HRANA news agency. "New sanctions will target in particular the inner circle of power of the Revolutionary Guards and the structures financing them." EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the decision on talks was up to Ukraine. EU foreign ministers will discuss increasing support for Kyiv during the winter and also touch on a ninth package of sanctions on Russia, though diplomats say no decision is expected yet.

☆ Iran indicts 11 over Basij agent's death, basketball team skips anthem
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Videos posted on social media purportedly showed the national basketball team refraining from singing the national anthem during a match with China in Tehran on Friday - widely seen as another show of support from athletes for the protests. The activist HRANA news agency said 336 protesters had been killed in the unrest as of Friday, including 52 minors. Earlier this week, videos posted on social media showed the national water polo team failing to sing the national anthem at a competition in Thailand. 'STEP UP THE PRESSURE'On Friday, a cleric in the northwestern city of Urmia called during prayers for the punishment of athletes who refrained from singing the national anthem, according to Iranian news agencies. "We want to continue to step up the pressure on the Revolutionary Guard Corps and the political leadership," he said in a video posted on Twitter.

☆ Iranians protest nationwide, mark 'Bloody Friday'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Summary Prominent Sunni cleric criticises security forcesUnrest in minority areasGeneral tells clerics to restore calmDUBAI, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Iranians protested in the restive southeast on Friday to mark a Sept. 30 crackdown by security forces known as "Bloody Friday", as the country's clerical rulers battled nationwide unrest. The region is one of the country’s poorest and has been a hotbed of tension where Iranian security forces have been attacked by Baluch militants. Thirty-nine members of the security forces had also been killed, while nearly 15,100 people have been arrested, it said. They were accused of acts of sabotage, assaulting or killing members of the security forces or setting fire to public property. Several social media videos showed a gathering at Tehran's Behesht-e Zahra cemetery to honour Amir Mehdi Farrokhipour, a 17-year-old allegedly killed by security forces 40 days ago.

☆ Iran's army issues warning to 'rioters' as security forces struggle to suppress unrest
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

... should he decide to deal with them, rioters will no longer have a place in the country," Brigadier General Kiumars Heydari said. Heydari was speaking 40 days after bloodshed in the mostly Sunni town of Zahedan, which has become a flashpoint in the protests. Authorities in Zahedan sacked the police chief and the head of a police station near where the killings took place. On Wednesday, shopkeepers in some Kurdish cities went on strike to show their respect to the people who were killed in Zahedan, Kurdish rights group Hengaw said. The Basij militia and other security forces have taken tough measures hoping to suppress the unrest but the fury has not eased.

☆ Iran's judiciary says it will deal firmly with protesters
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More than 1,000 people have been indicted in Tehran Province alone in connection with what the government calls "riots". "Now, the public, even protesters who are not supportive of riots, demand from the judiciary and security institutions to deal with the few people who have caused disturbances in a firm, deterrent and legal manner," judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi said. The activist HRANA news agency said 321 protesters had been killed in the unrest as of Monday, including 50 minors. Hardline Iranian lawmakers have urged the judiciary to "deal decisively" with the perpetrators. Iran’s national beach soccer team players did not cheer or celebrate after defeating Brazil to win the championship cup, said 1500TASVIR, a widely followed activist Twitter account.

☆ Iran lawmakers demand severe punishment for 'rioters' as protests rage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Thirty-eight members of the security forces had also been killed, it added. State media said last month that more than 46 security forces, including police, had been killed. Demonstrations continued in many cities on Sunday, from Tehran to central city of Yazd and northern city of Rasht, according to rights groups and videos on social media. Reuters could not verify the rights groups' reports independently, or the social media posts and footage. Hengaw said Ghaderi died in a coma on Saturday after suffering severe blows to her head by the security forces while demonstrating in Tehran.

Search resuls for: "HRANA"

25 mentions found