Anger over water shortages in Iran’s key oil region in the south-west have spread to surrounding provinces, including Lorestan, and to major cities such as Tehran and Isfahan.
Thousands have since last week been protesting about the lack of water, mostly in the southern areas of Khuzestan province. The recurring problem, blamed on decades of poor water management and bad environmental policies by the government, is being made worse by record summer temperatures and drought.
Footage on social media showed crowds calling for water and chanting slogans against the Islamic republic. Iranian media reported that four civilians and a police officer had been killed in the protests since July 15, but activists and human rights groups say the number is likely to be higher.
Human Rights Watch said that Iranian authorities appeared to have "used excessive force against demonstrators" and the government should "transparently investigate" the reported deaths.
"Iranian authorities have a very troubling record of responding with bullets to protesters frustrated with mounting economic difficulties and deteriorating living conditions," said HRW's Iran researcher Tara Sepehri Far.
A video from Lorestan circulated overnight shows people running as a man says security forces are shooting at people.
A resident of Shush in Khuzestan, who asked to be identified only as Mohammed, said security forces killed a protester there. Internet access had been shut several times, he said.
Government officials are divided in their reactions to the protests. Most condemned the protests, often blaming them on outside forces, while trying to acknowledge that water scarcity is a problem in the Khuzestan region and the country as a whole.
Massoumeh Ebtekar, Iran's vice president for women’s and family affairs, posted an audio clip on Twitter of a woman in Khuzestan apparently pleading with a member of the security forces to stop shooting at peaceful protesters. The tweet, circulated widely on Wednesday, sparked anger among social media users for having been edited to cut out the woman being harassed and beaten by security forces. The complete audio clip was circulated on Telegram.
President Hassan Rouhani spoke about the protests in a speech broadcast on state TV on Thursday, saying, “the people of Khuzestan have the right to speak, express themselves, protest and even take to the streets, within the framework of the regulations”.
On Friday, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iranians protesting about water shortages in the south-west cannot be blamed for their anger. He called on officials to deal with the water problem, Iran's state media reported.
"The people showed their displeasure ... but we cannot really blame the people and their issues must be taken care of," he said.
"Now, thank God, all the various agencies, governmental and non-governmental, are working [to resolve the water crisis] and should continue with all seriousness," Mr Khamenei said.
Officials have tried to address the crisis by sending water tankers and bottled water, but this has done little to appease protesters. Mr Rouhani, who will step down on August 3 after completing his second term as president, said he had instructed his first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, to visit the south-west region immediately.
Ebrahim Raisi, the hardline cleric who will replace Mr Rouhani, said he would appoint a special governor for the area.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
British Grand Prix free practice times in the third and final session at Silverstone on Saturday (top five):
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:28.063 (18 laps)
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:28.095 (14)
3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:28.137 (20)
4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1:28.732 (15)
5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Renault) 1:29.480 (14)
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Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
