Iran navy adds repaired destroyer and new floating base
Iran added the floating base Kordestan and the destroyer Sahand to its navy on Saturday, the army said, in a move it described as a boost to its maritime power and technical self-reliance.
Iran added the floating base Kordestan and the destroyer Sahand to its navy on Saturday, the army said, in a move it described as a boost to its maritime power and technical self-reliance.
Sahand, a Moudge-class frigate built in Iran, joined the navy in 2018 and is equipped with cruise missiles and stealth technology designed to evade radar detection, state media said. It sank last year during repairs at the southern port of Bandar Abbas after water entered its ballast tanks, causing it to lose balance and partially submerge. The navy said it later refloated and repaired the ship.
The Sahand had been readied for an anti-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean after leading an Iranian flotilla to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid attacks on commercial vessels in the region, according to state media. In 2021, it drew international attention when a US diplomatic campaign stopped it from docking in the Western Hemisphere. Washington believed it was carrying weapons and heading toward Venezuela, but the vessel eventually changed course toward the west coast of Africa, US officials said at the time.
The Kordestan floating base is designed to act as a mobile port city capable of supporting naval and non-naval combat units far from Iranian shores. Mehr news agency said the base “is essentially a port city that can play an important role in supporting naval and non-naval combat units at sea.”
The army also unveiled new missile-equipped speedboats, unmanned aerial and underwater systems, and electronic and coastal defense equipment during the ceremony.
Major General Amir Hatami, commander of the Iranian army, and Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, head of the navy, attended the event along with provincial governors, lawmakers, clerics and families of fallen navy personnel.
Meteorologists say heavy smog will linger over the capital through Tuesday, with fine particulate pollution increasing sharply as calm weather prevents the dispersal of exhaust fumes and industrial emissions.
Officials have urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and limit time outdoors, especially at night and in the early morning when pollution peaks.
The city’s weather bureau warned that without stricter limits on factories and traffic, “air quality could reach very unhealthy levels” and health services should remain ready to respond.
The alert on Friday comes as air quality worsens across several major cities, including Isfahan, Tabriz, Karaj, Ahvaz, and Mashhad.
Recent readings in Tehran placed fine particulate concentrations well above safe limits, posing risks for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions.
Officials say calm winds have turned Tehran into a pollution trap. The Health Ministry estimates nearly 59,000 Iranians die every year from illnesses linked to poor air quality, with economic losses exceeding $17 billion — more than the country’s entire health budget.
Reliance on dirty fuels deepens the crisis
The worsening air coincides with a renewed use of mazut, a heavy, high-sulfur fuel oil, at power plants struggling with gas shortages.
Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi acknowledged the problem, saying the move was a last resort to keep power stations running during peak demand.
Environmental groups warn that relying on mazut — together with aging cars and weak emissions controls — keeps Iran’s major cities locked in a cycle of toxic air and public health damage.
Authorities have advised residents to wear masks, avoid strenuous outdoor activity, and limit vehicle use.
Experts say the combination of outdated fuel systems, traffic congestion, and winter weather patterns means Tehran is likely to face repeated air-quality emergencies unless major reforms — such as investment in cleaner energy and transport — are implemented soon.
According to the Hengaw Human Rights Organization, several reporters and local media managers were summoned or threatened by security agents after publishing reports on the water crisis, which has left some neighborhoods without running water for more than 72 hours.
Security officials allegedly warned journalists against “spreading public anxiety” and forced some to sign written pledges not to cover the issue.
The pressure campaign comes as Iran faces one of its worst droughts in decades, with reservoirs across the country running dangerously low.
Iran’s worsening drought has pushed water reserves in several provinces — including Tehran, Mashhad, Kerman, and Yazd — to the brink of collapse, according to officials cited by domestic media.
Tehran’s Latian and Karaj dams have fallen to historic lows, with the latter holding less than 10 percent of its capacity. The capital now depends heavily on underground aquifers already under strain and at risk of subsidence.
The religious city of Mashhad has entered full rationing, while officials in Kerman describe collapsing aquifers and abandoned farmland.
Nationwide, rainfall has dropped to 18 percent of normal levels, leaving 20 provinces without measurable precipitation over the past two months.
Water specialists warn that if the trend continues, up to half of Tehran’s population could face severe supply disruptions within five to ten years.
Mohsen Biglari, secretary of parliament’s Budget and Planning Committee, said lawmakers had not been informed in advance of the government’s plan to add a new 5,000-toman (4.4 cents per the free market rate) fuel tier for drivers refueling beyond their monthly quotas or without personal fuel cards.
“If people have to buy 5,000-toman gasoline after using their quota, this increase will definitely affect the prices of other goods and services,” Biglari told Rouydad24. “We’ve seen how such policies ripple through the economy before.”
Biglari said even members of parliament learned of the change from the media, despite President Masoud Pezeshkian’s earlier campaign pledge that no fuel price hike would occur “without coordination with the people.”
“Such a major decision should have been discussed with us as representatives of the people,” Biglari said. “While the move may not be illegal, it contradicts the president’s promise of transparency.”
Economic and political backdrop
The government’s new fuel pricing system, announced last week, introduces a third rate at 5,000 tomans per liter for drivers refueling without personal cards or beyond their quota, while keeping existing 1,500- and 3,000-toman rates. Officials say the plan aims to reduce subsidies and curb rising consumption.
The Pezeshkian administration faces mounting fiscal pressure as fuel demand exceeds domestic production, forcing costly imports. The government says the reform will encourage efficient use and deter smuggling.
Biglari cautioned that even limited fuel price hikes could heighten public frustration if introduced without transparency. The warning comes amid memories of the 2019 fuel price protests, which erupted after an overnight price increase.
“Decisions like this, if made without public dialogue or proper study, can lead to social discontent,” he said, urging the government to act “with coordination and careful review to avoid potential risks.”
