Hooman Abedi
Iran International
Iran International
Some Iranian youths disillusioned by poor amenities in the Islamic theocracy are increasingly taking to a homemade codeine drink known as lean, education and health professionals told Iran International.
Storefronts around Tehran’s Grand Bazaar still sell herbal extracts and cheap vitamins, but behind them a quieter trade thrives: fast-acting sedatives that can leave people conscious yet defenseless and often unable to remember what happened.
Iranian traders, economists and digital market participants are alarmed by new state curbs on stablecoin holdings, telling Iran International the Central Bank’s decision will choke savings and drive capital offshore amid the historic devaluation of rial.
Departures from Iran are on the rise since a 12-day war with Israel in June as heightened surveillance and moribund prospects at home push some households to liquidate assets and leave.
Iran uses its overseas missions to covertly surveil dissidents and fund influence operations via state-backed cultural initiatives, multiple former Iranian diplomats and embassy staff members told Iran International.
Online platforms for temporary marriage, or sigheh, in Iran give men access to an underground sex economy that - far from totally contradicting the ruling theocracy - flourishes with a certain religious blessing.
Despite a new law targeting the illegal arms trade, Iran’s underground gun market continues to thrive on encrypted Telegram channels where vendors openly offer firearms ranging from pistols to Kalashnikov rifles.
Despite Iran's strict Islamic laws governing sexual behavior, an expansive underground industry of massage services is seemingly becoming a front for prostitution, while a simple hijab violation can lead to violent arrest.
