Exiled prince calls for unity among Iran’s opposition

The paper argued in an article on Sunday that Iran's "clichéd diplomacy" has left it weak as Turkey and Saudi Arabia gain ground.

"If our country doesn't take immediate action to disrupt Turkey's plan in Syria, Iran's name will be removed from the list of influential actors in Syria's developments, and Saudi Arabia will turn itself into another Turkey in this arena," the newspaper wrote.

The paper lambasted the Foreign Ministry's approach, describing it as disappointing and lacking any urgent action plan to secure Iran's national interests.

"In the midst of this heavy diplomatic battle...the approach that the Iranian diplomatic apparatus has taken seems disappointing," the article stated.

Farhikhtegan pointed to what it sees as a key miscalculation. "Iran is waiting to see how the new Syrian side will behave," the paper said, referring to an earlier statement from a government official.

The article further highlighted Turkey's proactive engagement with the new Syrian government, contrasting it with what it called Iran's passivity. It also highlighted the growing influence of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the region, suggesting they are capitalizing on Iran's inaction.

The paper concluded with a stark warning: "It seems that the procrastination of Iranian diplomacy...is closing this window [of opportunity]."

It urged a strategic shift, including engagement with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to counter Turkish influence and reclaim Iran's stake in Syria's future after years of building itself in the country alongside ousted President Bashar Al Assad.

On Saturday, a foreign ministry official said Tehran was in indirect talks with Syria’s new government. “We are monitoring the developments in Syria with deliberation and patience and will make our specific decision when the time is right,” Mohammadreza Raouf Sheibani, Iran’s special representative for West Asia, said in an interview.

He confirmed recent remarks of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani about an exchange of positive messages between Tehran and Damascus following the overthrow of Assad’s government in December.

Iran and Russia, Assad’s main backers during the brutal conflict that began in 2011, played key roles in maintaining his grip on power until a rapid rebel offensive last December forced him into exile in Moscow. Since then, both countries have sought to maintain influence in Syria while navigating the new political landscape.

Iran, which invested heavily in Assad’s survival—reportedly spending at least $30-$50 billion—now faces the challenge of recalibrating its strategy. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has vowed on multiple occasions to reclaim Iran’s influence in Syria.

Ali Alghasimehr said authorities have seized over 600,000 liters of smuggled fuel, describing the network as highly organized and large-scale.

He said intelligence and security services played a crucial role in the crackdown which targeted illegal fuel storage sites mainly in southern and western Tehran.

Last December, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said that 20 to 30 million liters of fuel are smuggled out of the country daily, calling it a catastrophe amid the country's energy crisis.

Pezeshkian did not specify the destinations but fuel smuggling in Iran often involves routes to neighboring countries where fuel prices are significantly higher.

In December, Reuters reported that a sophisticated oil smuggling network generating at least $1 billion a year for Iran and its proxies has flourished in Iraq since Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani took office in 2022.

Rubio said: "Behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence, behind every destabilizing activity, behind everything that threatens peace and stability for the millions of people that call this region home is Iran.

"And by Iran I mean the ayatollahs, by Iran I mean its regime, a regime who by the way, its people don’t support. The people of Iran are victims of that regime."

Netanyahu, who has long campaigned for harsher policies on Iran from global powers, warning of the threat the country's nuclear program poses to the region, welcomed the comments which echo his own years-long campaign against Tehran.

“Israel and America stand shoulder to shoulder in countering the threat of Iran," he said. "We agree that the ayatollahs must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. We also agreed that Iran’s aggression in the region has to be rolled back.”

Addressing the Gaza war against Iran-backed militants, Hamas, Netanyahu said Israel had dealt a significant blow to Tehran over the past 16 months, adding that with the support of Trump, "I have no doubt we can and will finish the job".

He also said Israel had weakened the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon and had hit hundreds of targets in Syria to prevent a new Iranian-backed front opening up against Israel.

"Now, if any other force believes that Israel will permit other hostile forces to use Syria as a base of operations against us, they are gravely mistaken," Netanyahu said.

Mohsen Baghaei, a workers' representative on the Supreme Labor Council, warned of significant price hikes in essential goods over the past two months, with cooking oil increasing by 40%, rice by nearly 100%, and other staples like potatoes and onions also rising steeply.

Baghaei estimated that the average cost-of-living basket for workers has risen by over 30% in just two months, pushing the basket’s value from 300 million rials (around $325) to 380 million rials ($413).

"Inflation on essential goods has been unprecedented," he added, blaming unchecked currency devaluation, corporate hoarding, and a lack of government oversight.

Despite the challenges, wage negotiations remain stagnant. The Supreme Labor Council which is responsible to set minimum wage for the new year starting in March has only convened once since the start of the President Masoud Pezeshkian administration in July, with no meeting held this month.

"While workers expect wages to reflect the cost-of-living basket, the Ministry of Labor’s resistance to this principle has stalled progress."

Currently, the minimum wage set in March 2023 at about 111 million rials ($185 at that time) is worth just $120 due to the rial’s sharp devaluation. With Tehran's estimated living costs exceeding 400 million rials per month, most workers find themselves unable to meet even basic needs and today, at least one third of Iranians are living below the poverty line.

The rising dollar, now valued at around 920,000 rials, has further eroded purchasing power. Shortages of essential goods and inflation nearing 50% compound the crisis, leaving many workers reliant on informal jobs to survive.

The broader economic turmoil has also fueled strikes and protests, including a rare demonstration by Tehran’s historic bazaar merchants last month over soaring currency rates and declining purchasing power.

Baghaei stressed the urgency of implementing realistic wage adjustments based on Article 41 of the Labor Law, which links wages to living costs.

"If the government accepts this legal principle, reaching an agreement won't be difficult," he concluded, while cautioning that lip service without action would only deepen workers’ despair.

Iran’s worsening economic crisis reflects both domestic mismanagement and external sanctions, leaving workers trapped between rising costs and stagnant wages.

The demonstration began at noon on Saturday, with protesters chanting slogans backing Pahlavi and delivering speeches denouncing the decision.

Organizers of the Munich Security Conference, which finishes on Sunday, confirmed to Iran International that the informal invitation to Pahlavi had been withdrawn after discussions with the German government.

“After consultation with the German government, Mr. Heusgen decided not to formalize the invitation to Mr Pahlavi,” they said, noting that Iranian opposition figures had until now, been regular guests.

The German Foreign Ministry acknowledged communication with the MSC but said that decisions on invitations were made independently. A source familiar with the matter told Iran International that Berlin feared Pahlavi’s attendance might jeopardize German dual-national prisoners in Iran.

Pahlavi last participated in the conference in 2023. Dissident journalist and women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad was invited to attend this year.

Earlier this month, the conference reinstated its invitation to Pahlavi after initially withdrawing it due to pressure from the German foreign ministry but then made a u-turn again, retracting the invite for a second time.

On Thursday, the son of Iran’s last king Reza Pahlavi accused the German government of bowing to pressure from Tehran. “This is a betrayal of both the Iranian people and Germany’s democratic values,” Pahlavi wrote on his X social media account.

“This German government has not only silenced the voice of the Iranian people but has actively done the Islamic Republic’s bidding.”

He said that threats from the Islamic Republic had influenced Berlin to retract his invitation to the conference. “The Ayatollah is pulling the strings in Berlin,” he said, adding that Germany’s actions amounted to “outsourcing censorship to Berlin.”

An official X account managed by US-based Pahlavi's office, criticized Germany’s approach, saying, “Instead of supporting those fighting for freedom, Germany has chosen to appease a dictatorship that murders its citizens, takes Europeans hostage, and sponsors terrorism.”