Page 74 - IRANRptSep22

Farmers in Iran’s Isfahan reports no progress in addressing water shortages one year after mass protests
led to the failure of electrical distribution boards, leaving people without operable air conditioning.
Earlier, local media reported that the summer of 2022 could be the hottest in the history of Iran, with widespread power failures anticipated.
Iran, meanwhile, has been shutting down even legal cryptocurrency mining operations nationwide to ease the strain the energy-thirsty enterprises place on the national power grid.
Farmers in the central Iranian province of Isfahan have told Radio Farda that their difficulties with water shortages have not eased despite pledges by the government to increase water supplies.
Water shortages in the province led to mass protests in November last year and a violent government crackdown.
Iran is enduring water scarcity due to prolonged drought, reduced rainfall and what critics describe as years of mismanagement. For instance, experts accuse officials of encouraging the cultivation of water-thirsty crops such as rice in areas of the country of 85mn where water resources are stretched. There are some ongoing efforts to boost water desalination efforts by building new plants on the Persian Gulf coast, but desalination technology is expensive. Solving Iran’s mounting dilemma with water shortages will require a multi-pronged approach, say officials.
9.1.13 Defence sector news
Russia launches Iranian satellite into space from Kazakh base amid Ukraine troop monitoring concerns
US reportedly believes Russians have started training on drones in Iran
An Iranian-owned, Russian-built satellite has been launched into space from the Baikonur base leased by Russia in Kazakhstan amid continuing speculation that Moscow could deploy it to assist its war aims in Ukraine such as by monitoring Ukrainian troop movements.
The remote-sensing Khayyam satellite, which Iran insists is for non-military purposes and has come under Tehran’s control “from day one”, was successfully launched on board a Russian Soyuz rocket on August 9. The launch was aired live by Iranian state television.
Earlier this month, The Washington Post cited anonymous Western intelligence officials as claiming that the Kremlin plans to use the satellite “for months or longer” to assist its Ukraine war efforts. The claim was rejected by the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) and Russia’s Roscosmos.
Images from Khayyam are expected to come with a resolution of one metre. The ISA said they would be used to the benefit of industries and spheres including agriculture, natural resources, environment, water resources, mining, disaster management and border monitoring.
State-run news agency IRNA said Iran has the capability to build remote-sensing satellites with an image resolution of 5-10 metres. But the Khayyam—named after 11th-century Persian polymath Omar Khayyam—can provide the resolution of just one metre.
The placing of the Khayyam in orbit would be the start of a strategic space industry cooperation between Iran and Russia, according to Iran’s ICT Minister Issa Zarepour.
The US believes Russian officials have started training on drones in Iran over the last several weeks, CNN reported on August 10.
While Ukraine benefits from supplies of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 attack drones, Russia may be set to acquire hundreds of Iranian drones—with some weapons-capable—for use in the war against its neighbour—though Tehran has denied that is the case in communications with Kyiv.
74 IRAN Country Report September 2022 www.intellinews.com