Two young men killed by Guards at checkpoints in Iran
At least two young men have been killed by Basij and Revolutionary Guards forces at checkpoints in Iran in recent weeks, according to information received by Iran International.
One of them, identified as Morteza Madadi from Shahin Shahr in Isfahan province, was shot dead on March 8 by forces at a Basij checkpoint, sources said. He died after being hit in the chest.
Sources said his family has faced pressure and threats after seeking to pursue the case.
In a separate incident, a young man in Ramsar in northern Mazandaran province died after being stopped at a checkpoint and protesting during an inspection, according to local accounts.
He was attacked with a stun device by Basij forces and died at the scene, from cardiac arrest, the sources said, adding that his family has also been pressured not to publicize the case.
The incidents come as checkpoint controls have increased across the country, with citizens reporting vehicle stops, searches and phone inspections, according to messages sent to Iran International.
Senior Iranian officials have grown frustrated with a plan to generate revenue from shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with little money collected despite expectations of significant income, sources familiar with the matter told Iran International.
Iran moved early in the war to control traffic through the strait and charge tankers about $2 million for transit permits, setting up a committee led by Mohammad-Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
But the effort has produced limited results, with only about 60 permits issued, payment requests sent for just eight shipments and no funds collected so far, the sources said, citing weak management of the process.
The outcome has triggered concern at high levels of government and within the office of Iran’s supreme leader, they added.
Discussions have taken place about removing Zolghadr from the role and shifting oversight of the file to President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to the sources.
Sharp disagreements among members of Iran’s negotiating team led them to abandon US talks in Islamabad and return to Tehran on April 11 following an order from Iran's top security official, sources familiar with the deliberations told Iran International.
The sources said that during Friday’s negotiations with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi showed signs of flexibility in some of his positions, particularly regarding reducing or halting financial and military support for the so-called Axis of Resistance, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Sharp disagreements among members of Iran’s negotiating team led them to abandon US talks in Islamabad and return to Tehran on April 11 following an order from Iran's top security official, sources familiar with the deliberations told Iran International.
The sources said that during Friday’s negotiations with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi showed signs of flexibility in some of his positions, particularly regarding reducing or halting financial and military support for the so-called Axis of Resistance, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
According to the sources, this approach drew a strong reaction from Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, in Tehran.
The sources said Zolghadr, who was briefed on the talks, submitted a report to the leadership and senior IRGC commanders, which fueled anger at the highest levels. The report reportedly cited “deviation from the delegation’s mandate” and engagement in discussions beyond the leadership’s directives.
Following consultations at the leadership level, and with the involvement of Hossein Taeb, an advisor to the supreme leader, an order was issued on Saturday afternoon for the delegation’s immediate return to Tehran, the sources said.
Reports of similar internal rifts had surfaced earlier. On March 28, accounts emerged of serious disagreements between President Masoud Pezeshkian and IRGC Chief-Commander Ahmad Vahidi.
Informed sources told Iran International that the rifts stemmed from disagreements over the conduct of the war and its impact on livelihoods and the wider economy.
Three days later, reports indicated Pezeshkian was dissatisfied with being in a “complete political deadlock” and had even lost authority over appointing officials killed during the war.
According to those reports, Vahidi had said that due to wartime conditions, all key managerial positions should be directly controlled by the IRGC until further notice.
Iran’s insistence on continuing its nuclear program and maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz ultimately contributed to the failure of the Islamabad talks, according to reports.
Following the breakdown, the United States announced a naval blockade targeting Iran’s southern ports, with US Central Command saying from Monday morning it would prevent ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports. The blockade was implemented as scheduled.
Despite the failure of the first round of talks, Pakistan said on Monday that consultations with both sides were ongoing and another round of talks remained possible.
US President Donald Trump also told the New York Post on Tuesday that talks with Iran “could resume within two days” in Pakistan.
Sources had earlier told Reuters that despite the apparent deadlock, diplomatic channels remain open, with an Iranian embassy official in Pakistan saying the next round of talks could take place later this week or early next week.
Iran’s central bank has warned President Masoud Pezeshkian that rebuilding the country’s war-damaged economy could take more than a decade, sources familiar with internal deliberations told Iran International.
In a stark assessment delivered to the president in recent days, senior economic officials said the damage inflicted during the 40-day war with the United States and Israel—combined with Iran’s already fragile economic situation—could take up to 12 years to repair.
Several major airports were damaged during the conflict, while strikes also targeted oil facilities, refineries and petrochemical installations that are central to Iran’s export revenues and industrial supply chains.
Officials involved in the discussions warned that the destruction of production capacity could trigger a sharp surge in inflation in the coming months. According to the assessment presented to the president, inflation could reach as high as 180% if shortages of industrial inputs persist.
The same projections estimate that unemployment could rise by around two million people as factories, service providers and small businesses struggle to resume operations.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati has been urging Pezeshkian to take urgent steps to stabilize the economy, including restoring full internet access and pursuing an agreement with the United States.
Tehran and Washington appear to be exploring the possibility of further talks following the one in Pakistan last weekend. Iranian economists have long argued that a diplomatic thaw and easing of sanctions could be the best path toward economic stabilization.
Iran has maintained a nationwide internet shutdown for weeks during the conflict, a move officials say was intended to counter cyber threats but which has also severely disrupted businesses that rely on global connectivity.
Iran’s digital economy accounts for roughly 5–6% of the country’s GDP, and the shutdown has cut off millions of entrepreneurs from customers, payment systems and online platforms.
Small businesses, freelancers and startup founders have been among the hardest hit. Many rely on services such as Instagram, messaging apps and foreign-hosted websites to reach clients.
Economists inside the government warn that prolonged restrictions could deepen the downturn and slow recovery even further.
The bleak economic projections have heightened concerns among members of Pezeshkian’s team, according to the sources.
Some officials fear that if the economic crisis worsens or the state faces financial collapse, powerful figures within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could seek to shift blame onto the president, they said.
Iran entered the war already under heavy economic strain from years of sanctions, high inflation and currency instability.
Senior Iranian officials are locked in a dispute over the composition and authority of the delegation set to negotiate with the United States in Islamabad, sources with knowledge of the matter told Iran International.
IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi is seeking to curb the authority of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the talks, according to the sources.
Vahidi has also pushed for the inclusion of Mohammad-Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, in the negotiating team — a move opposed by current members, who consider him lacking experience for strategic negotiations, the sources said.
At the same time, Vahidi and the IRGC Aerospace Force commander have stressed that the delegation must avoid any negotiations over Iran’s missile program.
