Latest Articles

Discount Diplomacy: How Iran Keeps Its Oil Flowing

Despite renewed US pressure, Iran’s oil exports to China remain steady—propped up by deep discounts, risky transshipments, and rising offshore stockpiles.

Iran’s Demographic Gamble: A State Program Losing Air

Despite multi-billion-toman plans to promote childbearing, marriage and fertility continue to plunge — the Supreme Leader’s demographic ambitions may be slipping out of reach.

Where in Iran Are Multiple Births Most Common?

Just 2% of Iranian births involve twins or more, but stark provincial differences point to deeper demographic, health, and cultural divides.

Iran’s Energy Black Hole: 40% of Gas and Power Lost Before Use

IOD’s analysis reveals that nearly half of Iran’s energy is wasted before reaching users—costing billions and exposing deep structural failures.

Inside Iran’s $2.4 Billion Arbitration Defeat: What the UK Court Ruling Reveals about the Hidden Costs of Energy Disputes

London’s Court of Appeal has upheld enforcement of a $2.4bn gas arbitration against NIOC, paving the way for asset seizures in Iran’s costliest commercial defeat.

Iran’s Learning Crisis: Poverty, Dropout, and Class Divide in Education

Iran’s education crisis has become nationwide. Structural inequality is deepening across all provinces—not just in the poorest corners, IOD’s analysis of the latest available data reveals.

The $182m Series That Still Has No Start Date

IOD has found that the combined state allocation for Moses and its sister series Salman the Persian has reached 9.1tn tomans ($182m) over the last four years. From 700bn tomans in 2022 to 4tn in 2025, the budget has ballooned despite no completed production.

Iran Tops Middle East in Groundwater Depletion, Ranks Fifth Globally

IOD’s analysis of UN data reveals Iran as the Middle East’s leading extractor of groundwater, and fifth globally after India, China, the US, and Pakistan. Overuse has placed hundreds of aquifers in critical condition, with land subsidence threatening major cities and “Day Zero” looming in Tehran.

Iran boosts funding for state-backed pilgrimages after suppressing falsified data

IOD’s analysis finds the regime has increased funding for the Rahian-e-Nour war pilgrimages to 210bn toman ($2m) in 2025, even after fabricating participation figures and halting all public reporting.

Iran’s Crypto Mining Share May Reach 15% Amid Power Surges and Capital Flight

IOD’s analysis finds Iran’s crypto mining footprint could account for up to 15% of global activity—driven by subsidised electricity and large-scale operations. A 2,400 MW power drop during a blackout revealed the hidden scale of the sector.