Iranian regime pursues charities despite people’s increased suffering

Despite the worsening economic situation in Iran and the
suffering of tens of millions of its citizens below the poverty line, the
authorities have not stopped pursuing charities under the primary accusation of
operating independently of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and clerics close to
the government.
The Iranian security services arrested the founder of the
Imam Ali Society, one of the largest charitable societies in the country, along
with a number of his colleague, according to a spokesman for the charity. Local
media failed to mention the reasons for these sudden raids, and police did not disclose
any charges against those arrested.
Although the Imam Ali Society belongs to the
state-sanctioned Shiite sect, its charitable activities represented a charge
against the regime, which did not view the charity as trying to bridge the state’s
shortages by feeding the hungry and caring for the displaced, but rather always
subjected the charity to accusations of working with the West and the enemies
of Iran, without evidence. These accusations were brought forward after the
charity joined the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2010.
The charity, which relies mainly on volunteers, has
contributed to relief for orphans, the poor and the homeless, as well as
victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The government’s
suspicions began after the charity expanded its activities to politics, such as
campaigns against the execution of minors.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had warned charities and
NGOs against allowing impartial people to join them, while Chief Justice
Ebrahim Raisi had warned in May of alleged plans by Iran’s enemies to finance
local charities and use them to serve “hostile purposes”.
Iran’s economic situation has worsened since the collapse of
its currency, with exchange rate exceeding more than 20,000 tomans to the
dollar and 23,000 to the euro, representing the largest collapse of Iran’s
currency in history.
Last November, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabei
admitted that more than 60 million citizens are in need of basic aid, or about
three quarters of the population of approximately 81 million. The International
Monetary Fund, meanwhile, estimated Iran’s economic growth rate this year as
negative 6%, while achieved a negative growth rate of 7.2% last year.
The poor economic conditions have caused increased public
anger. Iranians took to the streets to protest against the high fuel prices in
29 of the country's 31 provinces, but the security forces responded with
violence, killing around 1,500 citizens and arresting thousands.