Page 9 - IRANRptAug21

The water shortage protests follow demonstrations over power blackouts in several cities last week and add to the tensions seen in demonstrations mounted by thousands of workers in Iran's energy industry—particularly at oil refineries and petrochemical plants—who are demanding better wages and working conditions.
The energy industry protests—dubbed "Campaign 1400" with reference to the Persian calendar year that started on March 21—have been unrelenting for months. It all points to a difficult start for Iranian President-elect Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric who will succeed moderate President Hassan Rouhani on August 5.
Last week the head of Khuzestan’s Water and Power Authority said water levels at the province’s dams were expected to be 42% below normal levels until late September because of record low levels of precipitation and hot temperatures, Fars reported.
Tehran’s power outages are described as the worst endured since the 1980s war with Iraq.
2.4 Iran shuts down cities as coronavirus ‘fifth wave’ hits
Iran on August 2 reported more than 37,000 cases of coronavirus in 24 hours for the first time.
The highest daily number of deaths from COVID-19 in three months—a total of 411, taking the official death toll to 91,407 since the coronavirus pandemic began early last year—was also recorded. The health ministry said that of the 37,189 positive cases in the latest 24-hour cycle, 4,317 were admitted to hospital. There were currently 5,607 COVID-19 patients in a critical condition in intensive care units, it added.
Positive cases are surging in the Islamic Republic. The authorities say the country is enduring a “fifth wave” of the virus. The official number of infections recorded since the start of the pandemic in the country of 84mn is 3,940,708, with 3,404,533 recoveries and discharges from hospitals.
Iran’s vaccination programme has progressed more slowly than planned. Officials partially blame US sanctions that have hindered the transfer of money to foreign enterprises involved in vaccine exports.
The health ministry said that so far 10.2mn people have received a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 2.7mn have received the required two jabs.
Separately, Aljazeera reported on August 1 that Iran’s health minister has called for two weeks of lockdowns enforced by armed forces and law enforcement to curb the alarmingly fast rise of COVID-19 cases across the country.
Saeed Namaki, who will likely be replaced after Ebrahim Raisi is inaugurated as the next president on August 5, made the request in a letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It was widely published by Iranian media.
“The pressure is so high that I’m worried even this plan won’t be enough, unless we reduce the exponential load of illnesses through quick preventive measures and boosting adherence to health protocols,” he wrote.
9 IRAN Country Report August 2021 www.intellinews.com