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UPDATE: 10:00 AM CET
Lebanon Seizes $2.5 Million Bound for Hezbollah, Sources Say
BEIRUT, Feb 28 (Reuters) – Lebanon seized $2.5 million in cash from a man arriving from Turkey on Friday, the finance ministry said, with three sources saying the money was destined for militant group Hezbollah.
One of the sources said it was the first time such a seizure had been made. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.
“The detainee and the seized funds will be handed over to the investigation division at the General Directorate of General Security,” Lebanon’s finance ministry said in a statement, without making a reference to Hezbollah.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran’s Youth Resist Regime’s Brutal Executions with Fiery Operations
The theocratic regime ruling Iran continues to try to preserve its rule through executions and suppression of the youth, with 17 executions on February 19 and 20, 2025.
On Monday, February 24, 2025, Iran’s rebellious youth, chanting the slogan “No to executions,” responded to the regime’s 17 executions and the 854 executions during Ebrahim Raisi’s presidency with 15 operations.
In this round of operations, while setting fire to the images of regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini and supreme leader Ali Khamenei and regime symbols in various cities, the rebellious youth also struck at the regime’s Basij bases, centers of fundamentalism and crime, and suppression centers as follows:
Iran Accelerates Nuclear Program Despite Mounting Pressures
While Iran and its regional proxies face conflicts on multiple fronts, the regime continues to channel significant resources into advancing its nuclear ambitions. A recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reveals that Tehran is rapidly progressing toward the production of near-weapons-grade uranium, raising serious international concerns. According to the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, Iran now possesses over 272 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent. This marks an alarming increase of nearly 93 kilograms since the IAEA’s previous report in November.
“The significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon state to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,” the IAEA stated in its report. Experts warn that if Iran further enriches its current stockpile to 90 percent—the threshold for weapons-grade material—it could be sufficient for up to six nuclear bombs.
The Rising Cost of Food in Iran: A Growing Crisis for Families
The relentless inflation in Iran has pushed the cost of essential food items to unprecedented levels, making it increasingly difficult for families to afford even the most basic necessities. Today, the minimum food expenses for a family of four surpass the average wages of most Iranian workers, exacerbating the financial strain on households. Global standards indicate that adults between the ages of 18 and 60 require between 2,000 and 3,000 calories per day to meet their basic nutritional needs. Achieving this intake necessitates three meals a day, including at least one hot meal. However, skyrocketing food prices in Iran have made even a minimal diet unaffordable for a significant portion of the population.
Iran’s Economic Crisis Deepens Amid Internal Power Struggles and U.S. Sanctions
With the U.S. government’s renewed maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime, Iran’s financial situation is deteriorating rapidly. As the regime loses more sources of revenue, its budget deficit has surged to an estimated one trillion tomans. This worsening crisis has sparked new disputes among regime officials, who fear the social consequences of the country’s dire economic conditions. The latest sign of internal discord emerged on the evening of Wednesday, February 26, during a televised debate attended by four members of the regime’s parliament. The discussion revolved around the potential impeachment of Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati. The session quickly devolved into shouting and accusations as officials attempted to shift blame for the country’s economic chaos and escalating poverty without addressing the root causes of the crisis.
Annual Report 2025: A Year of Resistance and Struggle for Women’s Rights in Iran
As International Women’s Day approaches, the NCRI Women’s Committee proudly presents its Annual Report 2025, offering a comprehensive review of the past year’s pivotal events. The report sheds light on the ongoing struggle of women in Iran, documenting their unrelenting fight for freedom, democracy, and equality in the face of systemic repression.
The report, introduced by a poignant foreword from Ms. Sarvnaz Chitsaz, Chair of the Committee, paints a vivid picture of women’s unyielding pursuit of freedom in the face of brutal repression.
Mina Soltani, Justice-seeking Mother, Sentenced to Prison and Fined
Mina Soltani Zareh, the justice-seeking mother of Shahriar Mohammadi, one of the victims of the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran, has been sentenced to eight months in prison and a monetary fine by the Iranian judiciary.
The verdict issued by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court 2 of Bukan convicts Mina Soltani on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “appearing in public without hijab”, resulting in a sentence of eight months in prison and a fine of one million tomans. The ruling was verbally communicated to her lawyers.
Iran Struggles with Theft and Poverty
The debate over the link between poverty and violent muggings in Iran has intensified following reports of several citizens being killed by robbers. Some legal experts are calling for harsher penalties in the law, while some observers blame the Iranian regime for the worsening economic crisis. In a report on Thursday, February 27, Didbaniran website, citing “available statistics,” emphasized that “in recent years, due to worsening economic problems and poverty, muggings and thefts have increased.”
The report identifies poverty, economic inequality, unemployment, and mental health issues stemming from these crises as “the main reasons for crimes such as violent muggings.” It also references incidents of mugging in public places and highways, including an “armed robbery on Sadr Expressway” and the killing of Amir Mohammad Khaleqi, a young university student in Tehran.
Increase in Executions in Iran: 36 Executions in a Week
Since February 19, 2025, the Islamic Republic of Iran has executed at least 36 prisoners. This statistic translates to an average of four executions per day or one execution every six hours. The sharp increase in executions has raised widespread concerns among human rights activists and international organizations. In recent days, several prisoners have been hanged in various prisons across Iran. Some of these cases include:
Execution of Two Prisoners in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan
At dawn on Thursday, February 27, 2025, two prisoners named Morteza Jafari (Amouchi), 38, from Homayounshahr, and Javad Mohammadhani were executed. Both had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges.
Political Prisoner Mohammad Hossein Mohabizadeh
Mohammad Hossein Mohabizadeh, a 43-year-old political prisoner, was arrested on December 10, 2024, after being summoned to the Enforcement Branch of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Joveyn County. He was then transferred to Sabzevar Prison to serve his sentence. According to court rulings, Mohabizadeh was sentenced to a total of 24 months in prison by the Revolutionary Court and the Criminal Court on charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “insulting Khomeini.” Additionally, in a separate case, the Joveyn County Criminal Court sentenced him to two years in prison for “insulting religious sanctities,” a ruling later upheld by Branch 35 of the Khorasan Razavi Court of Appeals.
Political Prisoner Sakineh Parvaneh’s Letter: Stand Against Every Death Sentence
Political prisoner Sakineh Parvaneh, a native of Quchan, was arrested by security forces in Tehran on March 6, 2024. She had previously been released from Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad on February 15, 2023, after serving four years in prison.
In 2020, she was sentenced to five years in prison and a two-year ban on political activities on charges of “membership in anti-regime groups.” Additionally, she was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison by Branch 5 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mansouri, on charges of “insulting Khamenei,” “propaganda against the regime,” and “collaboration with foreign media.” This trial was conducted without her right to a chosen lawyer.
Parviz Sabeti: The Torturer Pursued by His Victims
According to reports published in Persian-language media, Parviz Sabeti, the former head of SAVAK under the Shah, is being pursued by three former prisoners who were subjected to torture.
The plaintiffs’ lawsuit states that Sabeti planned, supervised, and supported their arrest and torture. The lawsuit emphasizes that Sabeti is recognized as the architect of institutionalized torture in Iran and the public use of forced confessions obtained through torture—practices that he developed and that are now widely used by the clerical regime.
The complaint describes Sabeti as one of the “most powerful and terrifying men” of the Shah’s regime, who has maintained ongoing connections with individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Switzerland, Bern: MEK Supporters Protest Death Sentences for PMOI Political Prisoners and Demand Their Release
Switzerland, Bern – February 27, 2025: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held an exhibition to condemn the death sentences of political prisoners affiliated with the group, particularly Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who face imminent execution. Protesters also called for the immediate release of all political prisoners.
Gothenburg, February 25, 2025: MEK Supporters Rally in Support of the ‘No to Executions Tuesdays’ Campaign
Gothenburg, Sweden – February 25, 2025: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally in solidarity with the No to Executions Tuesdays Campaign, marking the twenty-second consecutive week of their solidarity movement. The campaign is a response to the Iranian regime’s continued executions in its prisons.
Winchester Exhibition by Academics in Exile: Supporting Iranian Political Prisoners at Risk of Execution
Winchester, England – February 25-26, 2025: Members of the Academics in Exile Association, who support the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), organized a book exhibition to condemn human rights violations in Iran.