Iran’s Special Clerical Appeals Court has upheld the conviction of Mohammad-Taqi Akbar-Nejad, a Shi’ite cleric and former instructor at the Qom seminary. He was sentenced to 23 months and six days in prison and three years of defrocking on charges of “weakening the system”, “insulting the leaders of the Islamic Republic” and “disgracing the clergy”. Akbar-Nejad was initially arrested in Qom on February 17th 2024 by Revolutionary Guard intelligence after publicly criticizing Iran’s leadership. Following confirmation of the verdict, a video was released in which he is seen removing his turban and saying “I cannot close my eyes to reality. I see that the fathers of this society are ashamed before their families, that after decades people still struggle to secure even their most basic needs such as water and electricity, and that crushing inflation has driven them to despair. If I am to merely watch in silence, then what use is this clerical garb to me?” The statement is part of a limited but expanding pattern of disapproval expressed by local clerics toward the Iranian leadership.
The Tehran municipality has locked the offices of the Association of Journalists, citing a street widening project. The move follows the closure of the House of Humanities, an independent academic institution, whose status remains unresolved despite government and council interventions. Akbar Montajebi, head of the association, described the eviction as part of a broader campaign targeting independent or non-aligned organizations, aimed at undermining independent journalism and bolstering state-managed media. He highlighted the establishment of a well-funded “House of City Journalists” as a parallel institution intended to marginalize the association. City council member Naser Amani criticized the municipality for bypassing legal procedures and disregarding the council’s authority.
Authorities are tightening control over Iran’s bakeries in light of mounting complaints. In Alborz province, four sangak bread shops were shut down for overpricing, short-weighting loaves and poor hygiene. Inspections, officials say, will continue and offenders will face legal action without exception. In Tehran, Heshmatollah Asgari, the deputy governor for economic affairs, issued an ultimatum after many bakeries ignored an order to display updated price lists. Those who fail to comply within three days will see fines rise from two to three times the base amount to as much as tenfold.
The Reformist Front’s statement calling for structural reforms in Iran have sparked sharp reactions. Conservative critics have condemned it as a “letter of surrender,” a “stab in the back,” and “divisive,” accusing the reformists of undermining the regime, while supporters praised it as direct and clear, aiming to address the country’s crises. The statement outlined immediate domestic and foreign policy reforms, following previous calls by prominent reformist figures, such as Rouhani, Tajzadeh, Zarif, and Mousavi, for systemic changes, including a constituent assembly and constitutional amendments. The statement was released a month after the Reformist Front’s third meeting with President Masoud Pezeshkian, who welcomed dialogue with the opposition but emphasized cooperation with the government.
