The Farda Briefing

Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. To subscribe, click here.

I'm Hannah Kaviani, a senior broadcaster and editor at RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Here's what I've been following and what I'm watching out for in the days ahead.

The Big Issue

Iran has publicly executed two young men over their involvement in the ongoing antiestablishment protests that have rocked the country since September. Mohsen Shekari and Majidreza Rahnavard were both convicted of "waging war against God" and "corruption on Earth."

Shekari, who was hanged on December 8, was accused of "intentionally injuring" a security officer with a weapon and blocking a street in Tehran.

Rahnavard was hanged in the holy Shi'ite city of Mashhad on December 12. He was accused of killing two members of the Basij paramilitary force. Rights groups have said the men were tortured and forced to confess.

Why It Matters: Iran is one of the world's top executioners. But the recent hangings have triggered more anger and outrage than usual. Iranians have taken to social media and the streets to vent their fury. Some street protesters have chanted, "We will avenge the blood of the innocent" following the executions. In Tehran University, a noose was attached to a sheet of paper that read "Hope cannot be hanged," one of several symbolic acts of protest across the country.

The executions have also triggered criticism from senior clerics in Iran. Molavi Abdolhamid, an outspoken cleric, has said the death sentence against Shekari violated Islamic law. Morteza Moqtadaei, a member of the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member chamber of theologians which oversees the work of the country's supreme leader, also criticized the judiciary for handing down the death sentence to Shekari.

What's Next: Iran is likely to continue carrying out executions, which rights groups have said are part of the authorities' crackdown on the ongoing protests. Activists have warned that another young man sentenced to death over the unrest -- Sahand Nourmohammadzadeh -- is at imminent risk of execution. Iran's judiciary says it has issued death sentences to 11 people in connection with the protests, although campaigners said that at least 21 protesters could potentially face the death penalty.

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Iran placed sanctions on over two dozen individuals and entities in Europe on December 12, including RFE/RL's Radio Farda. The announcement came ahead of the European Union's decision to impose new sanctions on Tehran. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, 32 people and entities have been added to the sanctions list for "interfering in the domestic affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran." RFE/RL President and Chief Executive Officer Jamie Fly described the designation of Radio Farda as "an absurd manipulation of the truth, straight out of every authoritarian playbook."

Omid Moayidi, a university student, was shot in the back and then in the head by security forces after participating in an anti-regime protest in the city of Shiraz, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to Radio Farda. Sources with knowledge of the situation told Radio Farda that the authorities had pressured his family to push their official line: that Moayidi was not protesting at all but a "martyr" of the clerical regime who was shot by "rioters" as he was driving his car.

What We're Watching

In a rare move, Iran summoned the Chinese ambassador to Tehran on December 11 to express its "strong dissatisfaction" with a joint statement issued by Chinese leader Xi Jinping and leaders of Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The statement, among other things, calls on Iran and the United Arab Emirates to resolve their dispute over three islands in the gulf through negotiations.

But Iran's Foreign Ministry said the islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa were an "integral part" of the country's territory, which "have never and will never be subject to negotiations with any country."

Why It Matters: Since the joint statement was released, Iranian state media affiliated with different political factions have criticized Beijing, with some expressing "distrust" of China. In an apparent bid to repair the damage, Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on December 13. During the meeting, Chunhua expressed support for Iran's national integrity, state media reported.

Since then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions in 2018, Tehran has followed a policy of "looking to the East," turning to allies Russia and China. Given the importance of the alliance to both countries, Beijing and Tehran are likely to smooth over any ill-feeling over the recent controversy.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have.

Until next time,

Hannah Kaviani

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday.

Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter. To subscribe, click here.

I'm Hannah Kaviani, a senior broadcaster and editor at RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Here's what I've been following and what I'm watching out for in the days ahead.

The Big Issue

In a surprise move, Iran's chief prosecutor said on December 3 that the country's notorious morality police had been "closed," although he prompted confusion a day later by adding that the force "had nothing to do with the judiciary." Mohammad Jafar Montazeri also said parliament and the judiciary were "working" on reviewing the law requiring women to wear the hijab in public.

Ali Khan Mohammadi, the spokesman for the official Headquarters For Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice, which oversees implementation of Islamic edicts, said on December 5 that the mission of the morality police was over, but that new methods would be used to enforce Iran's Islamic dress code. But the Interior Ministry, which oversees the force, has not commented.

The confusion and mixed signals have led to speculation that the authorities are considering concessions in an attempt to appease antiestablishment protesters and end the ongoing monthslong demonstrations that have raged across the country.

The rallies were triggered by the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died days after she was arrested by the morality police for allegedly violating the hijab law. The dreaded force, also known as the Guidance Patrols, enforces the strict dress code.

Why It Matters: The apparent decision by the authorities to disband the morality police has been met with widespread skepticism. Amnesty International on December 6 said the international community should not be "deceived" by the authorities' "vague and conflicting statements." Activists have also said that it is unlikely that the authorities will scrap or radically change the hijab law. The head scarf remains one of the key pillars of the Islamic republic.

It remains unclear if the apparent dismantling of the morality police and potential reforms to the hijab law will even be enough to appease anti-regime protesters.

The protests began as a rebuke against the brutal enforcement of the mandatory head scarf. But they have snowballed into one of the biggest threats to Iran's establishment in years, with demonstrators calling for an end to clerical rule and demanding their social and political freedoms.

What's Next: Some observers say that any concessions that the authorities make to the antiestablishment demonstrators now might be too little, too late, especially after a brutal government crackdown that has killed at least 448 protesters.

A popular slogan chanted by female protesters -- "With or without hijab, we are going toward a revolution" -- appears to capture the uncompromising mood among women, who have played a prominent role in the protests. Many women appear likely to continue protesting despite efforts by the authorities to appease them.

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Two Iranian women who fled to neighboring Armenia with their families have told RFE/RL's Armenian Service that they fear for their lives should they be forced to return home. The faces and voices of the two women were disguised to protect them. "I was forced to come to Armenia because of social and political problems," one of the women said. "Women [in Iran] have faced problems with [the country's] laws for more than 40 years." The two women fled Iran amid the protests and subsequent government crackdown.

An Iranian theater group, comprised of men and women without their head scarves, recently released a silent video with a message of resistance and hope. Two senior members of the group, Hamid Pourazari and Soheila Golestaneh, were detained shortly after the video was released on November 27. Playwright Naghme Samini wrote in an Instagram post that despite the detentions, "theater itself cannot be detained." Various artistic groups in Iran and Europe have paid tribute to the detained artists by recreating their silent act.

What We're Watching

Anti-regime protesters staged a three-day nationwide strike on December 5-7. In posts on social media, demonstrators urged businesses to close and called on residents to stop using banks. Videos uploaded on social media appeared to show that some shops were closed in cities across the country. A heavy security presence was reported in many of those cities, including Tehran.

During the strike, university students staged sit-ins in various cities. Truck drivers and factory workers, meanwhile, refused to work.

Why It Matters: This was the second three-day strike announced since the protests erupted in September. The level of participation during the latest strike appears to be higher. The strikes have added pressure on the authorities in Iran, where the economy has been crippled by years of U.S. sanctions and government mismanagement.

Larger and more regular strikes could have significant ramifications, especially if workers in Iran's key energy sector participate. Major strikes by public employees preceded the Islamic Revolution in 1979, bringing large parts of the economy to a halt.

Avril Haines, the head of U.S. intelligence, said on December 3 that the Iranian authorities do not see the protests as "an imminent threat to their stability." But she added that the government's deadly response to the protests combined with other factors, including the bleak economic situation in Iran, "will lead to a greater risk of unrest and instability over time."

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have.

Until next time,

Hannah Kaviani

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Wednesday.