When the stages fall silent

“Violation of the Rights of Theater Artists in Iran”

Reports show that pressure on theater artists in Iran has intensified in recent years. These pressures include summons and arrests, dismissals due to cultural criticisms, sudden cancellation of permits, unofficial work bans, extensive censorship of performance texts, and heavy financial pressures on theater groups.

This situation continues while theater plays an important role in freedom of expression and social dialogue. Independent institutions warn that the continuation of this trend will lead to the silencing of creativity and thought across the country.

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Since 1400 (2021), the process of destruction of Zagros and Hyrcanian forests has taken an alarming pace.
According to the latest reports of the Natural Resources Organization, statistics from 1403 and 1404 show that in the first half of 1403, the area of burned regions increased by 329% compared to the same period the previous year. New reports indicate that about 46,000 hectares of natural lands burned only in the early months of 1404.

The village of Ilat, one of the areas of Marzan Abad, was also affected on November 10, 1404, by fire and burning for two consecutive days due to human factors, and because of lack of equipment and weak management in the field of environmental governance and crisis management, more than 10,000 hectares of forests were burned.

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• It has been announced that Tehran was one of the most polluted cities in the world in 2025.

• Air pollution has been identified as the seventh leading risk factor for premature death in Iran.

• Statistics on deaths resulting from air pollution in Iran (2019–2024):

• 2019 (approximately 1398): about 43,000 people.

• 2021 (approximately 1400): reduction during the COVID period, about 41,700 people.

• 2022 (approximately 1401): increase and return of pollution intensity, about 50,000 people.

• 2023 (approximately 1402): total deaths 52,500 people (12.6%), Ministry of Health.

• 2024 (approximately 1403): sharp rise, critical situation, about 59,000 people.

• Air pollution leads to many respiratory and cardiovascular problems for residents of metropolitan areas.

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