Arrest of 10 Individuals Related to Protests in Khorramshahr and Abadan

Mizan News Agency, affiliated with the judiciary, reported the arrest of 10 individuals and the identification of 25 others in connection with recent protests in Khorramshahr and Abadan. On Tuesday, July 3, the agency, citing informed sources, reported the identification of 35 individuals who, according to the agency, were 'agents of spreading calls for chaos and exploiting public demands.' In recent days, people in Khorramshahr and Abadan took to the streets in protest against the salinity and interruption of water supply, and according to published reports, the police used tear gas to confront these protests. While some reports on social media indicate that one person was killed in Khorramshahr, the Ministry of Interior and police officials have denied this news. Mizan News now states that one of the detainees is a 'main agent of spreading calls for chaos' in Khorramshahr. The agency, which does not name this individual, claims that he is the admin of three Telegram groups where 'encouragement of terrorist acts and separatist tendencies' occurred. Mizan News, reflecting the views of the judiciary, wrote: 'Enemies of the Iranian nation have placed special emphasis on foreign messaging apps like Telegram to advance their sinister plot of creating chaos and unrest in Iran.' Earlier, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, the deputy and spokesperson of the judiciary, stated that using Telegram could be considered a crime. For years, several experts have warned about the management of water in Khuzestan, including its transfer to other regions and its use for agricultural products. Salinity and water shortages, unbearable heat, power outages, along with the phenomenon of dust storms, have posed serious challenges to daily life in Khuzestan cities. For instance, 18 years ago, Ahmad Midari, the then representative of Abadan, warned policymakers and executive bodies that their one-dimensional view of 'economic growth' would lead to the destruction of the Karun River and ultimately the migration of residents from its banks. Ahmad Midari, who was then in the Economic Commission of the Parliament, stated that sugarcane is produced in Khuzestan at a higher cost than the global price and causes the drying up of the Karun. According to this economist, the extraction of water from the Karun for other provinces and agricultural uses has led to the advance of salinity in this river. In this context, the governor of Khorramshahr stated: 'The salinity of water has been eliminated, and now the water is sweet.' Reports indicate continued protests in some cities of Khuzestan province. The number of poisoned individuals in Ramhormoz has reached 350. The Ministry of Energy warns: 'In the coming years, expect widespread blackouts.' The head of the Passive Defense Organization stated: 'They are stealing clouds and snow from Iran.'