Protest against land seizure suppressed by security forces
Residents of Meymand protesting on January 14, 2024, against the seizure of their lands by the administrators of Shah Cheragh shrine.
Police in a southern Iranian town used pepper spray to disperse a protest on Sunday against the seizure of lands by administrators of a major shrine, in the latest demonstration to be quelled by force.
Eyewitness videos obtained by Iran International show protesters being confronted by government forces, who used the pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
The dispute centers around claims by the administrators of the Shah Cheragh shrine that large portions of Meymand are part of a religious endowment, or "waqf," dating back to historical documents they allege validate their ownership.
However, the people of Meymand have strongly rejected the claims, insisting that the documents are fraudulent and that their land rights have been wrongfully taken.
Meymand, located about 70 miles from Shiraz, is home to over 10,000 people, many of whom rely on the manufacture and sale of rose water, a product sold across Iran.
The local community has expressed growing frustration over the years, accusing shrine administrators of obstructing the delivery of public services to the city.
Abbas Sharifi, a spokesperson for the Firuzabad County Council, explained, "Over the past decade, the administrators of the Shah Cheragh shrine have prevented local authorities from providing services to the people of Meymand through various correspondences with government departments."
The clash highlights broader tensions between local communities and religious authorities over land rights, with residents of Meymand feeling that their livelihoods and autonomy are being threatened.
Italian authorities on Sunday released Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, a 38-year-old Swiss-Iranian wanted on terrorism charges by the US, Iran's Judiciary said, a few days after the Islamic Republic released an Italian journalist detained in Tehran after Abedini's arrest in Milan.
Abedini arrived in Tehran on Sunday afternoon, the Iranian Judiciary's news website Mizan reported Sunday.
"Abedini was arrested over a misunderstanding, which was resolved through the efforts of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and negotiations between the relevant departments of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and the Italian intelligence service," the report added.
"Abedini was released thanks to the efforts of Iran's diplomatic apparatus," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei.
Abedini, accused of transferring drone technology to Iran, was arrested at Milan Airport under a US warrant in December. Washington alleges that the technology was used in a February attack near the Jordan-Syria border, which killed three American soldiers—an accusation Iran denies.
His arrest has been linked to the detention of Italian reporter Cecilia Sala, who was seized in Tehran last month while working under a standard journalistic visa and released earlier this week.
Abedini's alleged release came after Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio filed a formal request with the Milan Court of Appeal to revoke his pre-trial detention.
In his intervention, Nordio invoked a specific provision of Italy’s Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows the Justice Minister to request or revoke precautionary measures during extradition proceedings.
Iran's consulate in Italy had requested Italian authorities to allow Abedini to leave detention facilities in return for guarantees that he would stay in a known location.
Milan's attorney general argued last week that Iranians' guarantees--including housing and financial assistance, potential travel restrictions and mandatory check-ins--would be insufficient to address the risk of flight for the individual sought by the United States for extradition.
Fatah, the ruling authority in the West Bank, has criticized Hamas for aligning itself with Iran, accusing the group of jeopardizing Palestinian interests and resources.
"Hamas sacrificed the interests of the Palestinian people for Iran and caused destruction in the Gaza Strip, to replicate its actions in the West Bank," Fatah said on Saturday, stressing its determination not to let Hamas repeat the same scenario in the West Bank as the war in Gaza rages on in the wake of the group's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.
The statement also underscored Fatah's resolve to prevent Hamas from spreading its influence into the West Bank, where the group remains a significant rival to Fatah’s Palestinian Authority.
As part of its strategy to consolidate control, Fatah has been ramping up security operations, particularly in Jenin, which has become a stronghold for armed factions, including Iran-backed Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
The Palestinian Authority's growing military presence is a signal that it will not tolerate Hamas-like governance in the West Bank, particularly given the ongoing unrest in Gaza. It is also a sign to the incoming Trump administration that it has control over the contested territory.
Fatah holds Hamas directly responsible for the devastating consequences of the October 7 attack, which left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and triggered a massive Israeli military response.
The Israeli strikes have resulted in more than 46,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
In turn, tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have since been banned from entering Israel for work, and the economy has been left in ruins since the outbreak of war.
"Hamas is now attempting to stir security chaos in the West Bank, thereby continuing its policy that brought disaster upon the Palestinian people," Fatah added.
Israel’s Defense Minister said on Tuesday that Iran is pivoting toward arming Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank following the downfall of Tehran’s ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
"Judea and Samaria has become a central arena in the map of threats to Israel and we are preparing to respond accordingly," Katz said, using the Biblical names for lands on the west bank of Jordan River which Israel seized in a 1967 war.
"We are seeing increasing efforts to promote Palestinian terrorism in Israel through the smuggling of advanced weapons, funding and guidance both on the part of the Iranian axis and on the part of the radical Sunni Islamic axis that is strengthening its grip on the region after the events in Syria,” he added.
Iran's Culture Minister on Sunday expressed concern over the rising popularity of South Korean music among Iranian youth. "Where did we go wrong, and where are we going wrong, that we are changing Iran's musical taste in this way?" Abbas Salehi said.
K-Pop, or Korean popular music, has become a global cultural phenomenon in recent years, captivating audiences worldwide with its distinctive blend of catchy pop melodies, synchronized choreography, and high-production-value music videos.
The influence of K-Pop has also extended to Iran, where it has garnered a substantial and enthusiastic following among young people.
Despite the Islamic Republic’s restrictions on Western media and music, K-Pop has found a foothold through online platforms and social media. Iranian youth have embraced not only the music itself but also aspects of Korean culture, such as language, fashion, and entertainment.
This burgeoning interest has led to the development of dedicated online spaces, including websites and social media groups, where Iranian K-Pop fans can connect, share their passion, and stay updated on the latest news and trends.
The Iranian military kicked off a large-scale air defense exercise on Sunday, codenamed "Eqtedar" (Might), spanning the country's western and northern air defense zones.
The drills are focused on protecting critical infrastructure, including the Fordow and Khondab installations, which house uranium enrichment and heavy water production facilities.
The exercise, led by the Army's Air Defense Force under the command of the country's integrated air defense network, simulates defending critical sites and mission centers against aerial and missile attacks using a wide range of units and equipment, including missile systems, radar, electronic warfare and intelligence units, according to IRNA.
The drills follow a previous phase of nationwide exercises that began earlier in January in the air defense zone surrounding the Natanz nuclear facility in central Iran against mock attacks by missiles and drones, as reported by state media.
During that phase, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) air forces conducted "an all-out point defense of the Natanz site against a multitude of air threats in tough electronic warfare conditions.”
In October, US President Joe Biden's adviser for the Middle East Amos Hochstein told Fox News that Israeli air strikes earlier in the month knocked out Iran's last three Russian-provided S-300 air defense missile systems.
The surface-to-air S-300s were the last in the Islamic Republic's arsenal after one was destroyed in an attack in April. Hochstein said, "Iran is essentially naked."
According to IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini, the exercises, which will continue in various parts of Iran until mid-March, are a response to what he called new security threats.
Naini added that about 30 land, air and maritime drills have commenced across six western and southern provinces so far. “The number of drills has almost doubled this year compared to last year, in response to the evolving threat landscape.”
He added that several branches of the IRGC, including the navy and the paramilitary Basij forces, will also participate in the drills.
Iran has been conducting military exercises as it prepares for heightened tensions with its arch-enemy, Israel and the United States, under incoming President Donald Trump.
The war games come amid concerns that Trump could empower Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike Iran's nuclear sites while intensifying US sanctions on Iran's oil industry under his so-called "maximum pressure" policy.
On Friday, the Aerospace Force of IRGC unveiled what state TV called an underground missile city being visited by Guards Commander-in-Chief Major General Hossein Salami and the Aerospace chief Amir-Ali Hajizadeh.
The base was used in the Iranian missile attacks against Israel in what the Islamic Republic codenamed operations True Promise 1 and 2 in April and October 2024, IRGC media Tasnim said.
Salami said that Iran has more missiles than it can store, dismissing what he called enemy propaganda about the weakening of Iran's armed forces following attacks by Israel on Iran and its allies.
Iran has recently suffered setbacks in Lebanon after Israeli attacks against Iranian-backed Hezbollah and the toppling of Tehran's ally President Bashar al-Assad in Syria last month.
Iranian officials keep downplaying Iran's setbacks, but an Iranian general, Behrouz Esbati, who was reportedly based in Syria, said in a speech circulated on social media that Iran had lost badly in Syria.
Iran has announced plans to launch a satellite constellation in the coming months amid growing concerns over its ballistic missile program.
Hassan Salarieh, head of Iran's Space Organization, confirmed that the Martyr Soleimani satellite constellation, aimed at developing the Internet of Things (IoT), is one of the key projects currently under production.
With 20 satellites slated for launch, Salarieh said that these are part of a broader plan to enhance Iran’s technological capabilities.
"The Martyr Soleimani constellation is a narrowband constellation, designed to support IoT development. This is just one of several important satellite projects we are working on," he said.
Iran’s space endeavors began in 2009 with the launch of the Omid (Hope) satellite. The government insists that its space activities are solely peaceful, yet the dual-use nature of space technology—capable of supporting both civilian and military operations—has raised alarms, particularly among the United States and its allies.
In recent years, Iran has stepped up efforts to improve and expand its space capabilities.
The planned launch of a new space vehicle follows Iran's January 2024 launch of the Soraya satellite, which was carried into orbit aboard the Qaem 100 rocket. That mission drew condemnation from European countries, including Britain, France, and Germany, all of which are part of the now-fractured nuclear agreement with Iran, the JCPOA.
In a joint statement earlier this year, the European Troika expressed concern over Iran's ongoing missile tests, highlighting that the Qaem 100 launcher uses the same technology as Iran’s long-range ballistic missiles.
These launches enable Iran to test technologies that could potentially advance its ballistic missile program, the statement warned, emphasizing that such activities pose a significant threat to both regional and international security.
Further compounding these worries, Iran’s collaboration with Russia in space activities has added another layer of geopolitical complexity. In November 2024, two Iranian satellites—Kowsar, a high-resolution imaging satellite, and Hodhod, a small communications satellite—were launched aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.
"Several research satellites are also underway, including Pajouhesh (Research) 1,2,3,4 as well as Nahid 2 and Nahid 3, which are ready for launch," Salarieh added. "In addition to these, we have satellites in the telecommunications and sensing fields, with launches set to begin soon."
As Iran continues to develop its space program, the potential for dual-use technology—intended for both civilian and military purposes—remains a point of contention.
