Brief Notes

Tehran Nearing Water ‘Day Zero’: Tehran is nearing “day zero,” when much of the city could lose access to water amid severe drought, record heat, and decades of mismanagement. Reservoirs are at just 21% capacity, and authorities have cut water pressure for 80% of households. Experts have warned that the scarcity stems from mismanagement and corruption leading to the overuse of groundwater and inefficient agricultural practices, with some describing the unfolding crisis as “water bankruptcy.” The Islamic Republic has so far employed short-term measures, such as water distribution tankers and days-long mass shutdowns, to delay the impending crisis. Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that Iran is “moving toward drought,” but that “these problems are solvable.” Joint Statement Condemns Tehran’s Global Terror: The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and nine additional European nations issued a joint statement condemning the Islamic Republic’s intelligence operations in their respective territories. The statement, in part, read: “We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty. These services are increasingly collaborating with international criminal organizations to target journalists, dissidents, Jewish citizens, and current and former officials in Europe and North America. This is unacceptable.” President Says 12-Day War a ‘Golden Page’ in Islamic History: President Masoud Pezeshkian, during a visit to Zanjan Province today, praised the Islamic Republic’s armed forces for their role in the 12-Day War, saying they proved that “no power can bring a united Iranian nation to its knees.” He condemned critical voices in social and foreign media as “anti-patriotic.” He further said: “Not the Iron Dome, the American warships, nor their supporters were able to stop the Iranian missiles.” Pezeshkian called the conflict a “golden page” in the Islamic Republic’s history and a source of pride for all Muslims. Clerical Establishment Amputates Fingers of Three Prisoners: This morning, the amputations of three young prisoners convicted of theft were carried out in a prison in Urmia, West Azerbaijan Province. After the punishment was carried out, the inmates were transferred to a hospital and later returned to the prison a few hours later. The prisoners have been denied legal representation and were subject to forced confessions extracted under torture. Taliban Claims Almost 2 Million Afghans Deported From Iran: The Taliban-run Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation announced that around 1.8 million Afghan migrants have been forcibly returned from Iran in the past three months.

Zarif Proposes Export of Enrichment Tech Across MENA

In an opinion piece published today by The Guardian, former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif proposed a new framework for regional nuclear cooperation with Tehran exporting enrichment capabilities to allied states in the Middle East and North Africa. He has dubbed the framework the Middle East Network for Atomic Research and Advancement (Menara), or “lighthouse” or Minaret in Arabic. The piece comes as Tehran has warned European powers that it may withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if UN snapback sanctions are imposed. The initiative signals that the Islamic Republic envisions not only maintaining its nuclear infrastructure but also expanding nuclear-related activities across the region through shared facilities, research programs, and possibly uranium enrichment capabilities. While Zarif presents Menara as a confidence-building measure and a step toward disarmament, the proposal also signals the Islamic Republic’s desire to play a central role in shaping the region’s nuclear future.

On the Radar

Today, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned new U.S. sanctions on Islamic Republic shipping networks as “evidence of the hostility of American decisionmakers towards the Iranian people.” The Islamic Republic's embassy in Delhi also condemned the sanctions, accusing Washington of using a “modern form of economic imperialism.”
A representative of President Pezeshkian has met with Mir Hossein Mousavi, a key figure of the 2009 Green Movement, who has been under house arrest since 2011. The representative confirmed the meeting, saying it reflected Pezeshkian’s intent to end Mousavi’s house arrest, as this is “a demand from segments of the population.” He added that the judiciary held a “positive stance” on the matter. The meeting comes amid Mousavi’s renewed political activity, including calls for a national referendum. Mousavi will likely be propped up by the regime in order to lead controlled “reform” movements in Iran.
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Peace Missions, Steve Witkoff, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today in Jerusalem.
The Revolutionary Court in Saqqez, located in Iran’s Kurdistan Province, sentenced two local residents to five months imprisonment each on charges of "propaganda against the regime."
Authorities shut down a café in Tehran for hosting a summer party. The café was part of a chain that has locations throughout Iran, although only the Tehran location was shut down.
Security forces arrested a resident of Bukan, located in Iran’s West Azerbaijan Province, and transferred him to an undisclosed location. Authorities searched his home and confiscated several digital devices belonging to his family.
A group of workers from the Pars Agricultural and Industrial Company in Parsabad-Moghan, Ardabil Province, held a protest. Additionally, workers from the Arkan Sales Company in Rey held a sit-in at their workplace to protest the death of a colleague, citing a lack of workplace security.
Islamic Republic naval forces have discovered and dismantled a 1,250-meter-deep underwater pipeline allegedly used for fuel smuggling off the coast of Bandar Kalahi, located in the southern Hormozgan Province, which borders the Persian Gulf. The commander of the Minab Naval Base told reporters that "smugglers had concealed the pipeline beneath the seabed to illegally transfer fuel from the shore to vessels at sea.”
IRGC-run Fars News urged lawmakers to ban the import of pets and related supplies, criticizing weak enforcement of the recent dog-walking ban and asking for intensified implementation.
Videos sent to Iran International show a fire breaking out at Qaem Hospital in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province, earlier today. According to the local fire department, the blaze originated from two trees in the hospital yard.

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