Iranian-American's Arrest Complicates US Prisoner Swap

The Jomhouri Eslami newspaper, a conservative daily critical of Raisi's economic and foreign policies throughout the past two years, stated that halfway through his presidency, Raisi can no longer blame the previous government for his failures. The daily also reminded that unlike his predecessors, Raisi enjoyed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's wholehearted support and had likeminded conservatives dominating the other branches of the government supporting him. 

The daily went on to say that despite what Raisi thought during his first days in office, by now he must know that no one can run the affairs of the state without a balanced foreign policy. He should also realize that Iran's membership at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and his government's ties with China, Russia, and some Latin American and African states have not helped the people and could be even harmful to the economy.

An 83-percent increase in printing money, a 95-percent rise in the rate of exchange for the US dollar and a 114-percent price increases for essential goods also show that Raisi and his colleagues have no true understanding of the country's situation and the impact of foreign policy on worsening conditions, the daily added. 

The issue of the regime’s anti-West foreign policy and its failure to resolve the nuclear dispute with the United States have become key issues in recent months as US sanctions cripple the economy.

Centrist daily Ham Mihan published analysis by several experts about Raisi's dismal record. The daily wrote that he has badly failed in controlling inflation and meeting his promises to create one million jobs and build one million homes every year. 

Ham-Mihan noted that Raisi had to reshuffle his economic team several times during the past two years to no avail, and the performance of his economic team cannot be defended. As an example, Ham-Mihan noted that the US dollar has nearly redoubled during the past two years against the rial, which has fallen from 250,000 per dollar to nearly 500,000. 

The experts told Ham-Mihan that Raisi has failed to facilitate growth for businesses. The experts also criticized the Raisi administration for not having any economic plans, and for making bureaucracy more complicated than it used to be. Even projects such as selling government assets have not met their objectives, because instead of leading to productivity they simply maximized the profits of insider groups. 

The experts charged that there is no prospect for any improvement in the economy, which the government is simply unable to manage. They attributed that to "The President's inefficiency, the conflicts of interests between various groups of his supporters and more conflicts among various parts of the government." 

Meanwhile, in a report on the state of the economy halfway through Raisi's presidency, economic daily Donya-ye Eghtesad wrote that Raisi should re-consider and review all of his policies for the second half of his presidency. "The inflation rate, lack of economic growth, the high risks involved in doing business in Iran, and low investment rates are among the problems that need to be tackled," the daily wrote. 

While the inflation rate was 14.7 percent in the first year and 12.7 percent in the second year of President Hassan Rouhani's presidency, the Raisi administration has been struggling with a 49.1% inflation rate in its first year and a 39.4% inflation rate in its second year, the paper said, citing official figures considered by experts to be too low.

Norway-based human rights group, Hengaw, reported that Mohammadi, a resident of Salmas city in the western Azarbaijan province, initiated her hunger strike within the women's ward of Urmia Central Prison on Saturday. Mohammadi's protest aims to draw attention to her situation and the conditions faced by herself and fellow inmates.

Despite serving three years of her five-year sentence, Mohammadi has been denied the right to parole and leave. An informed source quoted by Hengaw disclosed that even her request for a meeting with the prosecutor has been obstructed by the prison authorities.

This is not the first time Mohammadi has resorted to drastic measures. Earlier this year, she was reported to have attempted suicide due to the pressures exerted by government security institutions, which hindered her chances of being granted leave.

Mohammadi's arrest dates back to the autumn of 2020 when she was apprehended by intelligence forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Salmas. Following several months of interrogation, she was transferred to the women's ward of Urmia Central Prison. She was subsequently sentenced to a five-year imprisonment term on charges of "membership in the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK)" by the Revolutionary Court of Urmia.

Mohammadi's case highlights the mounting pressure on Kurdish civil groups and activists, particularly in the wake of the recent "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests. These demonstrations have drawn increased attention to the plight of Kurdish individuals and groups advocating for their rights and freedoms within Iran.

A website in Tehran reported Monday that Jahangiri, who is a centrist politician by Islamic Republic’s political standards, is seriously considering running in the elections, although almost all reformists and centrists remain non-committal.

In the 2020 legislative elections, the Guardian Council, a constitutional watchdog loyal to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that vets candidates, disqualified hundreds of non-hardliners, and many believe this can be repeated in the upcoming vote.

Observers say that reformists, former regime officials and other non-hardliners would like to see guarantees from the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that they will not be blocked before putting forth their candidacy.

It is not clear if Jahangiri’s reported willingness to take part in the elections is a single case, or it is a sign that other politicians will also register.

The uncertainty among politicians who are part of the regime also stems from another reality. After the 2022-2023 nationwide protests during which millions demanded regime change, analysts have been predicting a low turnout in future elections controlled and manipulated by the government.

This will further erode what little legitimacy the Islamic Republic has retained and dozens of former lawmakers and politicians have argued that the ruling core of the regime should be more tolerant and allow those who are against the constitution to run in the elections.

The forces from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) have been deployed in response to escalating tensions with Iran and as a show of maritime strength.

Recent developments in the region, including Iran's seizure and harassment of vessels has seen tensions rising, most recently seeing Iran's unveiling of new maritime weaponry and Washington's potential armed presence on commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which sees roughly one fifth of the world's crude oil travel through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman. The US Navy's assertive posture also aligns with its efforts to reassure regional allies and maintain security in a volatile geopolitical landscape.

Additionally, the Biden administration's efforts to address Iranian drone supplies to Russia have led to mounting pressure. The Defense Intelligence Agency's presentation of evidence demonstrating the Iranian origin of drones shot down over Ukraine highlights the administration's commitment to countering destabilizing activities.

The USS Bataan (LHD 50), an amphibious assault ship, and the USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), a dock landing ship, entered the Red Sea via the Suez Canal after traversing the Mediterranean Sea.

The deployment falls within the context of the US 5th Fleet's extensive area of operations, spanning approximately 2.5 million square miles and encompassing vital waterways like the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and critical choke points such as the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and Strait of Bab el-Mandeb.

Nader Bazarafshan on Sunday revealed a serious decline in the demand for gold purchases, citing a decrease of 20-40%. He claims this recession in the gold market is even more severe than the challenges encountered during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While dismissing rumors of substandard gold entering the market, Bazarafshan has proposed a strategy to address the dwindling demand, recommending the consideration of gold with a karat value lower than 18, a move aimed at enhancing demand by adjusting prices in response to the prevailing decrease in people's purchasing power. However, the proposal has yet to gain official approval.

Gold has traditionally held a significant role in the financial landscape of Iranians, serving as a means of safeguarding assets against economic volatility. The recent economic fluctuations and downturns have further underscored the importance of gold jewelry as a secure investment avenue for the population.

This dire situation was previously echoed by Yuosef Taqizadegan, the head of the Mashhad Gold, Jewelry, and Silver Union, who highlighted the economic struggles faced by young couples. Taqizadegan revealed that the soaring price of gold, which has surged by 100% compared to the previous year, has prompted a shift towards purchasing silver rings, as many newlyweds find themselves unable to afford gold rings.

The World Gold Council, in a recent report, affirmed the decline in gold jewelry purchases within Iran. The report stated that during the first quarter of this year, gold jewelry sales experienced a 15% drop compared to the same period in the previous year.