Khamenei Designates All Ministers, Ex-President Admits

“After the revolution, only two hotels have been built in Tehran, and one of the reasons for the lack of hotel construction in cities is the high municipal fees, which dissuades people from venturing into hotel development,” he added, blaming bureaucracy.

The revelation comes amidst a broader context of the crisis facing Iran's tourism industry in a country with a once vibrant tourism industry. Concerns about safety and the risk of arbitrary detention by authorities have deterred foreign travelers, despite Iran's rich cultural and historical attractions.

The Iranian government's history of seizing foreign nationals for political leverage or espionage charges has fostered an atmosphere of uncertainty for tourists. This, coupled with mandatory hijab rules and restrictions on alcohol and nightlife, has contributed to a decline in international visitors, particularly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Hopes for a tourism resurgence following the 2015 nuclear deal were dashed when then-US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018, triggering a downturn in Iran's tourism prospects. Mass protests and the detention of several Europeans last year further exacerbated the situation, prompting Western countries to issue travel advisories cautioning against visiting Iran.

Earlier, Hormatollah Rafi'ee, a representative of the tourism sector, expressed concerns about the government's failure to capitalize on tourism opportunities, highlighting a decline in incoming tourists despite claims of growth.

Jafar Salari-Nasab, the CEO of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC), stated, "On Saturday, 130 million liters of gasoline were distributed in the country, which shows an 18 percent increase compared to the same period last year, which was 110.1 million liters."

New year festivities exacerbated the situation as Iranians traveled during the festive season. He added, "On average, from the beginning of Norouz [March 20] until now, 121.7 million liters of gasoline have been consumed in the country daily, showing an increase of 6.2 percent, equivalent to 7.2 million liters, compared to the same period last year, which was 114.5 million liters."

Concerns regarding the rising consumption have prompted the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company to issue a warning, urging citizens to manage fuel consumption and observe optimization measures.

Jalel Salari, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company, emphasized the inefficiency of domestically produced vehicles, citing their high fuel consumption compared to international standards. He attributed Iran's gasoline deficit to the annual increase of two million vehicles, contributing an additional five to six million liters to daily consumption.

Furthermore, the imbalance in Iran's refining process, where one-third of products are transformed into mazut and bitumen, exacerbates the shortage of petrol. Official statistics reveal that gasoline constitutes only 28 percent of Iran's refinery products, highlighting the need for modernization akin to refineries in other neighboring countries like the UAE.

Amidst the escalating gasoline deficit, the government has resorted to limited imports of mazut substitutes. However, criticisms have been leveled against the current administration led by President Ebrahim Raisi for a lack of transparency in reporting the volume of gasoline imports.

The court case involves the police commander of Bandar Anzali, Jafar Javanmardi, who was unprecedentedly prosecuted for the killing of 27-year-old protester Mehran Samak.

Samak was fatally shot on November 29, 2022, during nationwide protests that coincided with celebrations over Iran's national football team's defeat by the US team. Reports suggest that Samak was participating in the protests by honking his car horn when he was shot in the head by agents of the regime in Bandar Anzali, located in northern Iran.

According to Samak’s family lawyer, the military court in the city of Qazvin reaffirmed what is known as a “Qissas” verdict against Javanmardi.

In the Islamic courts in Iran, "Qissas" is the principle of retributive justice under Sharia law, matching punishment to the severity of the crime, particularly in cases of homicide or bodily harm.

In this case, Javanmardi would have to be put to death after the latest military court ruling.

However, the IRGC-run Fars News Agency, expressed concerns about the ruling, claiming that given the circumstances of the incident, “occurring amidst a police operation and amid riots,” such a verdict could “undermine police effectiveness.”

Moreover, the news agency did affirm that Javanmardi was responsible for Samak's death due to what they described as "reckless bullet firing".

Fars further asserted, without citing specific sources, that judicial authorities have deemed the verdict against the defendant as "not final" and due to "numerous flaws," the case is slated for review.

The case of Samak's killing stands out as one of the very rare instances where a protester's death has led to the arrest and trial of a security-police official of the Islamic Republic.

While the protests claimed the lives of over five hundred demonstrators at the hands of Islamic Republic security forces, the regime has yet to be held accountable for such deaths.

Conversely, the government has executed several detained protesters on charges of killing security forces, highlighting a stark contrast in treatment.

Speaking to state news agency ISNA, Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani said, “In this plan, it's not just about building walls; rather, in border regions, we have various programs that include creating obstacles, using modern equipment and advanced cameras, helicopters, drones, UAVs, and telecommunications and armaments facilities. Equipment and training for border forces are also important, and all of these together ensure the security of the borders.”

Iran faces significant security concerns, particularly along its border with Afghanistan, stemming from the presence and activities of terrorist groups like ISIS. The porous nature of the Afghan border, combined with the ongoing instability and conflict in Afghanistan, poses a direct threat to Iran.

ISIS, in particular, has been a major concern. The extremist ideology and violent tactics employed by ISIS militants have raised fears of potential infiltration into Iranian territory and the spread of radicalization among vulnerable populations, including Afghan refugees residing in Iran.

Iran has experienced sporadic incidents of violence and terrorist attacks attributed to ISIS such as a double bombing in January in Kerman which killed around 100 people.

Iran's fear of ISIS along its Afghan border reflects the broader security concerns it faces in a volatile region. However, Iran itself has been accused of providing support to groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and certain factions within Iraq and Yemen.

A security source revealed to Reuters that the strike resulted in the death of Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force. Additionally, Iran's Arabic language Al Alam TV reported the complete destruction of the Iranian consulate building in Syria.

According to follow-up reports, General Mohammad-Hadi Haji-Rahimi, a deputy of Quds Force general Zahedi, was also killed in the strike.

The Iranian ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, who was not injured, said at least five people had been killed in the attack and that Tehran's response would be "harsh".

Later on Monday, the IRGC in an official statement confirmed the deaths of Zahedi and Haji-Rahimi, as well as five other officers identified as Hossein Amanollahi (earlier identified as Amirollah), Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sedaghat, Ali Agha-Babaei, and Ali Salehi Rouzbahani.

Syria's SANA state news agency confirmed significant destruction to a building in the Mezzeh neighborhood, with neighboring structures also affected.

Reuters reporters at the site in the Mezzeh district of Damascus saw emergency workers clambering atop rubble of a destroyed building inside the diplomatic compound, adjacent to the main embassy building. Emergency vehicles were parked outside. An Iranian flag hung from a pole in front of the debris.

The Syrian foreign minister and interior minister were both spotted at the scene.

Israel, which has repeatedly hit Iranian targets during the six-month war in Gaza, declined to comment on the incident, following its usual practice, Reuters reported. An Israeli military spokesperson said: "We do not comment on reports in the foreign media."

Israel's recent airstrikes have intensified in the wake of Iran-backed Hamas's invasion of Israel on October 7, with a focus on targeting senior Iranian personnel and bases associated with Iran's IRGC. Several militia forces in Syria have come under fire and Zahedi is the latest commander targeted in a series of assassinations this year alone.

Iranian state television said several Iranian "diplomats" had been killed. Iran's Tasnim news agency said five people were killed in the Israeli strike. Syria's SANA state news agency reported an unspecified number of deaths and injuries.

Iran's involvement in the Syrian civil war, which began over a decade ago in support of President Bashar al-Assad's regime has been a source of contention with Israel. Viewing the presence of Iranian forces in Syria as a direct threat, Israel has consistently targeted their bases and weapons concentrations since 2017.

An Israeli military spokesperson said: "We do not comment on reports in the foreign media."