Another round of E3-EU/Iran talks is expected in January, likely in Geneva, though it remains unclear if they will occur before or after the inauguration of Donald Trump, Laurence Norman of the Wall Street Journal posted on X on Friday.
"I gather there is likely to be another round of E3-EU/Iran contacts in Jan probably again in Geneva. Not yet clear if before or after Jan 20 @realDonaldTrump inauguration. #Iran #nuclear," Norman wrote.
Axios reporter Barak Ravid replied, "Before".
Iran and the E3 group—comprising the UK, France, and Germany—met in November and agreed to continue talks in the near future in an effort to resolve the deadlock over Tehran’s nuclear program. This may represent the final opportunity for a breakthrough before Donald Trump assumes the US presidency once more.
Trump, who implemented a policy of so-called maximum pressure on Iran during his first term, is set to return to the White House on January 20.
Meanwhile, Iran has agreed to stricter monitoring by the UN nuclear agency at its Fordow site after significantly accelerating uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels, the watchdog stated in a report seen by Reuters.
"Iran agreed to the Agency's request to increase the frequency and intensity of the implementation of safeguards measures at FFEP (Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant) and is facilitating the implementation of this strengthened safeguards approach," the International Atomic Energy Agency said in the confidential report to member states, Reuters reported earlier this month.
Yalda Night, or Shab-e Chelleh, marks the longest night of the year and is one of the most significant events on the Iranian calendar. Similar to Nowruz, the celebration of the Spring Equinox and the Iranian New Year, Yalda's origins trace back to at least the Achaemenid era (circa 500 BC). The word "Yalda," however, is derived from ancient Syriac and means "birthday."
The celebration of Yalda, like Christmas, is an important family event celebrated with special foods, fruits such as watermelons and pomegranates, nuts and dried fruits, candles, poetry reading, games, and song and dance.
To ancient Iranians, the night of the Winter Solstice was the eve of the birth of the God of light and love, Mithra. On this night, they believed, Light defeated the powers of Darkness, and the sun gained its power again to make days longer and bring about the rebirth of nature at Spring Equinox.
President Masoud Pezeshkian who has been on a visit to Cairo, sent a special message to Iranians on Thursday to congratulate for Yalda. “We Iranians believe that Yalda will bring light [after long days of darkness]," he wrote in his message.
Alireza Arzani, an official with Iran's Chamber of Guilds, stated Wednesday that while the prices of food and items essential for Yalda celebrations have remained relatively stable compared to last year, people's purchasing power has dropped by around 50% during the same period, leaving many businesses struggling.
Arzani, representing nut and dried fruit retailers at the Chamber of Guilds, explained that declining demand has compelled retailers to reduce profit margins and lower prices in an effort to clear stock typically sold during this season.
Tejarat News, an economic newspaper, estimates that a family of four would need to spend approximately 25 million rials (around $30) for a modest Yalda spread this year. This amount represents 20-25% of the average monthly income for most Iranian workers and civil servants.
Iran's hardline Shiite clerical establishment frowns upon pre-Islamic celebrations, viewing them as remnants of paganism. However, the deep-rooted traditions of the Iranian people have largely thwarted their efforts over the past four decades to diminish the significance of ancient festivals in favor of Islamic ones.
Most Iranians find no contradiction in celebrating both ancient festivals and Islamic occasions. Each year, they send tens of millions of text messages to mark the Winter Solstice, much like they do during Nowruz. Similarly, a minority of devout individuals exchange greetings on religious occasions, such as the birthdays of Prophet Muhammad and the first Shiite Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib.
In 2023, Iran's Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (SCCR) renamed some calendar events including Yalda which they designated as the "Day of Promotion of the Culture of Hosting and Connecting with Relatives”.
Many of the members of SCCR are appointees of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The Council is mandated with ensuring that non-Islamic cultural influences and ideologies are defused, and education and culture comply with values prescribed by the religious establishment and the state.
The public reacted very negatively to the SCCR’s move. In defiance of what they saw as an attempt to obliterate the country’s pre-Islamic past, many vowed to celebrate the festival with even more vigor. Social media users also posted numerous jokes about the long name proposed for the ancient festival.
The highly negative reaction forced the authorities to backtrack. The state-run television which has a monopoly on broadcasting, and the hardline dominated Tehran municipality, even tried to show an unprecedented interest in honoring Yalda with special programs and decorations installed around Tehran by the municipality. The same trend has continued this year.
At Lakan prison in Rasht, political prisoners held in the Misaq Ward are in quarantine-like conditions and are isolated and poorly equipped to weather cold winter months.
The small yard, barely four square meters in size, is surrounded by tall concrete walls topped with metal mesh, offering little in the way of ventilation or natural light.
Inside, the metal beds are short and lack mattresses, forcing prisoners to either sleep hunched over or on the damp, cold cement floors.
With the arrival of winter, the situation has worsened, with inmates forced to use thin, inadequate blankets to shield themselves from low temperatures just above the freezing point.
Despite these efforts, illness—ranging from colds to more serious flu outbreaks—has become widespread, especially among prisoners with preexisting health conditions.
Some of the men in the section are middle-aged and suffer from chronic joint pain, yet they are compelled to wash with ice-cold water as the ward lacks hot water and functional heaters. Frequent power outages only exacerbate the problem, as the prison’s heating system does not have a backup power supply, leaving inmates without warmth day and night.
Prison regulations make matters worse. Clothing from families is only accepted twice a year, and the garments must meet strict standards, with hats, zippers and decorations banned.
With the onset of cold weather, the prison administration has shut down the office responsible for distributing warm clothing, declaring that it is now impossible to provide such items to the inmates.
Conditions in the women’s section of Lakan prison, where around 150 female prisoners are held, are similarly grim.
According to Forough Saminiya, a women’s rights activist and prisoner in Lakan, the women’s quarters are cramped, and the kitchen only contains a samovar, leaving prisoners with little means to feed adequately feed themselves.
The prison food is described as substandard and barely provides sufficient nutrition.
Saminiya also highlighted the exploitative nature of the prison shop, which has been monopolized by a single individual.
With over 150 regular customers, the shop charges exorbitant prices for essential goods. For those with specific dietary needs—such as Saminiya, who suffers from diabetes—the shop offers little to accommodate their conditions.
“Maintaining a proper diet in Lakan Prison is impossible,” she said, lamenting the lack of vegetables and the need to avoid starch.
Systemic Abuse in Qarchak prison
Across the country in Qarchak Prison near Tehran, the conditions for women and children have also become increasingly dire.
Jila Baniyaghoob, a journalist and women’s rights activist, reported that almost all of the prisoners have fallen ill with colds, and there is a shortage of medicine.
Sick prisoners are only given two antibiotic capsules, an inadequate remedy for the health issues. In addition, the prison’s medical facilities are under-resourced, with the number of available medical visits severely limited—only five prisoners per ward are allowed to see the doctor at a time.
Baniyaghoob also pointed out the water shortages in Qarchak, where drinking water has been cut off for several days. "Clean water has been cut off for several days. Each prison ward, with over a hundred prisoners, has only one tap of clean water, which is used for brushing teeth, washing dishes, and drinking," she said.
The heating system in the prison is unreliable, leaving inmates to endure near freezing temperatures, especially in the winter. Despite these conditions, prison authorities prevent families from providing extra clothing or necessary items for warmth.
Qarchak Prison, situated in a desert region, has long been described as a symbol of the systematic human rights violations within Iran's prison system.
In its report, the Iran Human Rights Organization recently condemned the facility as a “hell for women and children.” Originally a poultry farm, the prison has been converted into overcrowded wards that lack basic amenities, such as adequate ventilation, safe drinking water, and sufficient toilets.
Prisoners are forced to endure unsanitary conditions, with vermin including cockroaches, mice and even poisonous spiders inhabiting the cells.
The authorities’ failure to address these issues has prompted growing international concern.
Human rights organizations continue to call for accountability, urging the Iranian government to respect the basic rights of prisoners, particularly political detainees, who face disproportionate hardships in an already overburdened system.
