On 3 November 2025, Iranian security forces carried out a series of raids targeting researchers, economists, and translators working on social justice issues, including labor rights, gender equality, and economic inequality. Early Monday, authorities reportedly searched homes in Tehran, confiscated electronic devices and books, and detained several individuals, prompting concern among families and the academic community.
The confirmed detainees include Parviz Sedaghat, Mohammad Maljoo, Mahsa Asadollanejad, and Shirin Karimi. Heyman Rahimi’s home was searched, and he has been summoned for questioning. Reports suggest the arrests are part of a wider crackdown on intellectuals and activists addressing political and economic inequalities in Iran. Authorities have not provided official explanations, and the whereabouts or charges of some detainees remain unclear. Additionally, several other academics and intellectuals associated with similar social and economic research have reportedly been summoned for questioning.
Security forces visited the homes of the detainees, seizing personal belongings such as laptops, mobile devices, and books. In Rahimi’s case, six plainclothes officers from IRGC Intelligence visited his workplace with a judicial order before escorting him to his home for a search. Rahimi was later instructed to appear at a designated location for follow-up questioning.
Parviz Sedaghat is an economist and translator specializing in political economy. He edits the magazine Naghde Eqtesad Siyasi (Political Economy Review) and has translated works by David Harvey, Farhad Namani, Sohrab Behdad, and Saeed Rahnama. His research focuses on perspectives on Iran’s political economy.
Mohammad Maljoo is an economist and researcher known for his critical studies of Iran’s post-revolution economic history. He was a visiting researcher at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam. Maljoo has taught at Iranian universities and independent institutions and has published and translated works by Albert Hirschman, Karl Polanyi, Michael Burawoy, and E.P. Thompson. His current status following the raid is unclear.
Mahsa Asadollanejad, 34, is a sociologist with a PhD in political sociology from Tarbiat Modares University. Her research focuses on the formation of the Islamic Republic between 1979 and 1989. She has organized study circles and educational programs at institutions such as Bidar School and has published translations and original writings on topics including welfare institutions and the intersection of gender and political economy. Authorities detained her at her parents’ home and confiscated all electronic devices and books.
Shirin Karimi, 42, is a writer, translator, and researcher with a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Tehran. She has authored books, translated works by Judith Butler and Afsaneh Najmabadi, and contributed to the Philosophical Books for Teenagers series. Karimi was reportedly detained at her home, and authorities confiscated her books and electronic devices. Her current whereabouts are unknown.
Heyman Rahimi, 37, is a writer and translator who was detained following a home search conducted by IRGC Intelligence officers. His laptop, phone, and books were confiscated, and he was instructed to appear at a designated location for follow-up. Rahimi has published multiple translations and writings on the Naghde Eqtesad Siyasi website.
These detentions and summons have raised alarm among Iran’s academic and intellectual communities, highlighting ongoing tensions between authorities and individuals engaged in research and activism on social, political, and economic rights.
