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Iranian Men Charged with Spying Offences in UK Were Asylum Seekers Who Arrived by Small Boats and Lorry
Three Iranian men charged with spying offences arrived in the UK by “irregular means”, including small boats and a lorry, before claiming asylum.
The trio appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday accused of “engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service” between August 2024 and February 2025, following an investigation by counter-terror police.
The foreign state to which the charges relate is Iran, police said.
Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, are alleged to have targeted journalists working for Iran International, an independent media organisation based in London.
France Sues Iran at ICJ For Holding Two French Nationals Hostage
France filed a lawsuit against Iran at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday, seeking the release of two detained French nationals.
The two individuals, a modern literature teacher named Cécile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris, were detained by the Islamic Republic of Iran on May 8, 2022, while visiting the country as tourists. They have been in detention as “state hostages” ever since. The lawsuit condemns Iran’s hostage-taking policy, which targets French nationals traveling to or residing in Iran, accusing them of offenses related to Iranian national security.
NYTIMES: Trump Envoy Says Iran Must Give Up Nuclear Enrichment Capability
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s chief Iran negotiator, offered the clearest outlines of the administration’s position in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program.
President Trump’s chief Iran negotiator provided the clearest description yet of the administration’s bottom line on negotiations over the country’s nuclear program, declaring on Sunday that Tehran must give up all enrichment of nuclear fuel.
“We cannot have that because enrichment enables weaponization, and we will not allow a bomb to get here,” he said. Even “1 percent of an enrichment capability” would be too much, he said.
Iran’s Working Class Erupts: Nationwide Protests Expose Regime’s Economic Ruin
A surge of protests swept across Iran last week, with thousands of citizens from diverse sectors taking to the streets to voice their anger over the deteriorating economic conditions, rampant corruption, and the regime’s ineptitude in addressing their basic needs. From pensioners and truck drivers to bakers and medical staff, the collective cry for justice and a decent livelihood underscores the deep-seated economic despair gripping the nation, directly attributable to the ruling establishment’s policies of plunder and mismanagement.
How Khamenei’s Crypto Cartel Plunges Iran into Darkness for Profit
Across Iran, a nation grapples with debilitating power outages. Hospitals struggle to function, factories grind to a halt, and citizens endure extreme temperatures without relief. While the Iranian regime often deflects blame, a significant cause of this crisis lies in the systematic plunder of national electricity resources by a powerful cartel, spearheaded by entities directly linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These groups prioritize lucrative cryptocurrency mining operations, seeking vital foreign currency, while the Iranian people are left to suffer the consequences of a collapsing power grid.
UK Cities Host Weeklong Exhibitions Against Executions in Iran
From May 13 to 17, 2025, major cities across the United Kingdom—including Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, and London—witnessed a wave of public exhibitions condemning the death penalty in Iran. These events are part of the “No to Executions” campaign in Iran, organized by the Academics in Exile Association, a group of Iranian scholars affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Each exhibition featured photo displays and informational bookstalls, aimed at drawing international attention to the alarming surge in executions and the ongoing repression of political dissent inside Iran.
Liverpool Joins UK-Wide Campaign Against Executions in Iran
On May 16, 2025, the city of Liverpool joined a growing wave of public action across the United Kingdom against the death penalty in Iran. The event was part of the “No to Executions” campaign, launched in cities including London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Sheffield, and continuing from May 13 to 17.
In Liverpool, the campaign was led by the Academics in Exile Association, a group of Iranian scholars affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). The event featured a photo exhibition and informational bookstall, drawing attention to the sharp rise in executions and the Iranian regime’s escalating repression of political dissent.
Dusty Iran: The Story of the Dust Storm Crisis from Border to Center
In recent years, Iran has plunged deeper than ever into a dust storm crisis. But what flows in the country’s darkened skies is not just dust particles, it is an echo of decades of environmental mismanagement, anti-development policies, and the inability to confront climate challenges.
A large portion of the dust in Iran originates from outside its borders. Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and even North Africa—especially during periods of political instability, civil war, and infrastructure collapse—have become active dust-producing centers.
European Troika Holds Unproductive Nuclear Talks with Iranian Regime in Istanbul
The meeting between representatives of Iran’s regime and the European troika—Germany, the United Kingdom, and France—which began on Friday morning in Istanbul, has concluded.
Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy foreign minister of Iran’s regime, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, May 16: “If necessary, these talks will continue.”
Iran’s Execution Spree: A Grim Tool of Repression Under the Pezeshkian Presidency
Between Monday, May 12, and Thursday, May 15, the Iranian regime executed at least 19 individuals across various prisons in the country. Among them were two juvenile offenders and a woman—an alarming detail that underscores the brutality of the Islamic Republic’s judicial and security apparatus.
With this latest wave, the total number of executions since July 2024 under President Masoud Pezeshkian has reached at least 1,164—the highest in over three decades. This unprecedented surge reflects a sharp escalation in state violence aimed at silencing dissent and maintaining the regime’s grip on power.
A Nation Divided by the Classroom: The Widening Educational Gap in Iran
Government statistics reveal a critical shortage of at least 50,000 classrooms across Iran’s public school system, with an alarming 75 percent of public schools lacking even the most basic educational facilities and standards.
In stark contrast, reports indicate that tuition fees at some private schools in Tehran are set to exceed 500 million tomans for the upcoming academic year.
Private schools, which account for 16 percent of Iran’s educational institutions, cater predominantly to the wealthy elite.
Nationwide Bakers’ Protests Erupt Across Iran Over Electricity and Economic Crisis
As Iran sinks deeper into economic and livelihood crises, bakers across the country have risen in protest. From Isfahan, Kermanshah, Mashhad, Ahvaz, Qom, Birjand, and Ilam to many other cities, these hardworking citizens have gathered to express their anger and desperation in the face of worsening conditions.
This nationwide protest erupted in response to the non-payment of government subsidies, the failure of the “Nanino” bread management system, crippling production costs, and the meager income of bakers. The demonstrations reveal the severity of a disaster created by the regime’s failed policies and mismanagement that have crushed the lives of millions of Iranians.