{"id":317537,"date":"2024-03-17T09:37:27","date_gmt":"2024-03-17T08:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=317537"},"modified":"2024-04-08T12:05:46","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T11:05:46","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-march-17-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-march-17-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 March 17, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

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THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS<\/h2>\n

UPDATE: 9:0<\/span>0 PM<\/span><\/p>\n

Tehran Metro CEO Changes with Speculations It Is Related to His Canadian Designation<\/h3>\n

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According to Iranian state media reports today<\/a>, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani appointed Reza Mohammadnejad Bidkhast as the acting CEO of Tehran Metro Company. Previously, unconfirmed reports had circulated about the resignation of Masoud Dorosti, the former CEO of the metro.<\/p>\n

Dorosti was invited on March 12 to appear before the Tehran City Council to answer questions regarding “repeated metro malfunctions,” but he did not attend the session. Instead, Majid Rostami, the deputy director of operations at Tehran Metro Company, answered the questions on his behalf.<\/p>\n

Earlier, Mohsen Hormozi, the deputy of transportation and traffic at Tehran Municipality, had denied Dorosti’s resignation and stated that he did not attend the council meeting due to “severe cold.”<\/p>\n

Speculations surrounding the CEO of Tehran Metro and rumors of his resignation emerged last week following his inclusion in Canada’s list of sanctions.<\/p>\n

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Iranian Newspaper Reports Surge in School Dropout Rates Due to Poverty<\/h3>\n

\"Iran-Schools\"<\/p>\n

An Iranian media outlet has reported that the dropout rate among Iranian children and adolescents reached its highest level in the past decade during the last academic year, with widespread poverty being cited as the major cause.<\/p>\n

In its report published on Sunday<\/a>, March 17, the economic newspaper “Donyaye Eghtesad” stated that the dropout rate for the academic year 2022-2023 increased even beyond the days of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which some students left school due to lack of access to communication tools and the internet. The dropout rate in the primary level has risen by 0.25 percentage points to reach 1.2 percent.<\/p>\n

According to this report, during the academic year 2022-2023, more than 175,000 students in the primary level discontinued their education, with the main factor being the increase in poverty.<\/p>\n

“Donyaye Eghtesad” noted that the poverty rate reached 30 percent in 2022, meaning that about one-third of Iran’s population lacks the ability to afford their basic needs, significantly impacting their children’s education.<\/p>\n

As a result, some students, instead of pursuing education, enter the job market to meet their needs. The media outlet further highlighted that besides poverty, the diminishing value of education in Iranian society has also contributed to the dropout rates.<\/p>\n

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State Media Reveals Another Case of Corruption in Iran<\/h3>\n

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Amidst the power struggle among various factions within the Iranian regime, a state-controlled media outlet has exposed yet another instance of corruption linked to a state-affiliated company.<\/p>\n

Ruydad 24 website wrote<\/a> on March 16, \u201cThe newspaper Etemad disclosed a case of corruption involving a $22 million contract for the import of tires that occurred in the year 2019. Per the terms of this contract, Alireza Peymanpak, the former CEO of the Razi Supply Chain Management Company, allegedly provided $80 million in government currency to Mohammad Zolfaghari, the CEO of Dolphin Trade Development Company, to import 200,000 tire rings into the country. However, the fate of $22 million of this amount remains undisclosed.\u201d<\/p>\n

This revelation adds to a series of scandals<\/a> highlighting pervasive corruption within<\/a> government-affiliated entities in Iran.<\/p>\n

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Amidst the power struggle among various factions within the Iranian regime, a state-controlled media outlet has exposed yet another instance of corruption linked to a state-affiliated company.<\/p>\n

Ruydad 24 website wrote<\/a> on March 16, \u201cThe newspaper Etemad disclosed a case of corruption involving a $22 million contract for the import of tires that occurred in the year 2019. Per the terms of this contract, Alireza Peymanpak, the former CEO of the Razi Supply Chain Management Company, allegedly provided $80 million in government currency to Mohammad Zolfaghari, the CEO of Dolphin Trade Development Company, to import 200,000 tire rings into the country. However, the fate of $22 million of this amount remains undisclosed.\u201d<\/p>\n

This revelation adds to a series of scandals<\/a> highlighting pervasive corruption within<\/a> government-affiliated entities in Iran.<\/p>\n

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Sunday Protests in Iran<\/h3>\n

Across various cities in Iran, retirees and contract workers have resumed protest rallies to voice their grievances and demands, highlighting issues ranging from pension reforms to job security and fair wages.<\/p>\n

Tehran witnessed a resurgence of protests as retirees from the steel industry converged in front of the offices of the Steel Retirement Fund, reiterating their demand for higher pensions to cope with the rising expenses.<\/p>\n

In Isfahan, central Iran, retirees from the steel industry gathered once again to emphasize their plea for higher pensions that align with the escalating costs of living. Similar sentiments echoed in Shush, where retirees and pensioners of the Social Security Organization demanded increased pensions and essential needs.<\/p>\n

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March 17\u2014Arak, central #Iran<\/a>
Retirees and pensioners of the Social Security Organization resume their protests rallies, demanding the regime to raise their pensions according to its own laws.#IranProtests<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/BMtf8hjv50<\/a><\/p>\n

— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 17, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n