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UPDATE: 01:00 PM CET
Boxing Champ Faces Execution as Retrial Rejected
A champion boxer imprisoned in Iran for taking part in countrywide democracy protests is at risk of execution after his request for a retrial was denied by the Iranian government. Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, 30, has spent five years in prison after participating in March 2020 protests against the country’s fuel hikes—accused by the government of “spreading corruption on earth through arson and destruction of public property.” Since his imprisonment, Vafaei Sani has endured extreme physical and psychological torture, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran. The country’s Supreme Court turned down his request for a retrial on Monday, after previously upholding his death sentence on October 4.
Iran: The WBC and NGOs Fight to Prevent the “Imminent” Execution of a Boxer
Mohammad Javad Vafaei-Sani is 30 years old and the vice-champion of Iran in boxing. He now faces the risk of being executed in the coming days on suspicion of belonging to an illegal organization in his country.
This Wednesday, NGOs sounded the alarm over the urgency of the young man’s situation. Earlier this week, he learned that his request for a retrial had been rejected by Iran’s Supreme Court and that his case has now been transferred to the office responsible for carrying out sentences.
The boxer was arrested in 2020 for taking part in anti-government protests in 2019. Accused of being a member of the People’s Mojahedin (MEK), an organization banned in Iran, he was sentenced to death for “corruption on earth.” The WBC, one of the world’s leading international boxing federations, along with sports figures — including former world No. 1 tennis player Martina Navratilova — have called on governments to act to save him. So far, without success.
UPDATE: 08:00 AM CET
Iran’s Yalda 2025: A Celebration of Light in the Shadow of the Mullahs’ Economic Darkness
Despite the cold, the darkness of inflation, and the suffocating dominance of the mullahs’ regime that has chained the lives of the people, the ancient tradition of Yalda remains a cherished symbol for Iranians. On the night of the winter solstice, December 21, people curse the regime and hold onto the hope for the inevitable dawn of freedom. However, Yalda 2025 arrives under conditions so dire that even the regime’s own media outlets are running headlines such as “Inflation swallowed Yalda,” “Nuts and fruit out of reach,” and “Yalda of high prices; when the festive table bows under the weight of prices.”
According to the head of the Dried Fruit and Nut Union in Tehran, the price of Yalda nuts in retail stores ranges between 7 and 13 million rials per kilogram. However, data from the ILNA news agency on December 14 reveals even higher costs for a standard festive spread: one kilogram of nuts costs 16 million rials , pomegranates are 2.4 million rials per kilo, and a five-kilogram watermelon costs 2.5 million rials. Even a simple dinner of chicken costs around 2.1 million rials.
Bucharest Exhibition Calls for an End to Executions and the Release of Iran’s Political Prisoners
Bucharest, Romania – December 20, 2025 – Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized a photo exhibition accompanied by an information stand to protest the Iranian regime’s escalating use of the death penalty, particularly against political prisoners.
Execution of Aqil Keshavarz in Urmia Central Prison
In the early hours of Saturday, 20 December 2025, the death sentence of Aqil Keshavarz, a 27-year-old architecture student, was carried out in Urmia Central Prison. The execution took place amid serious concerns regarding the circumstances of his arrest, interrogation, and trial, once again drawing attention to the extensive use of the death penalty in security-related cases in Iran. Aqil Keshavarz, son of Javad, was from Isfahan and a student of architecture at Shahroud University. He was arrested in June 2025, during a period of heightened security across the country, while traveling to Urmia. According to available information, security agencies accused him of a security-related offense. The arrest occurred at a time when security measures had intensified nationwide and intelligence bodies had expanded the scope of detentions.
Rising Food Prices Threaten Health of Iran’s Population
Ahmad Esmailzadeh, director general of the Community Nutrition Improvement Office at the Health Ministry of the Iranian regime, warned about the negative consequences of rising food prices—especially dairy products and protein sources—on the nutritional health of Iran’s population. In an interview with ISNA, a state-run news agency, on Sunday, December 21, Esmailzadeh referred to the continued price hikes in the country and said: “In recent months, concerns about people’s nutrition have multiplied, and there is a fear that people may suffer from nutrient deficiencies.” He added that the Health Ministry has repeatedly warned that rising food prices could lead to people’s “malnutrition,” because “even middle and higher income deciles” under current conditions have reduced their consumption of dairy and protein.
Yalda Under the Shadow of Poverty as Iran’s Regime Destroys Families’ Purchasing Power
Runaway inflation and regime mismanagement have turned Iran’s longest night into a symbol of economic collapse, forcing families to abandon traditions or buy Yalda essentials on credit. As Iranians approach Yalda, the longest night of the year and a centuries-old symbol of light prevailing over darkness, the reality facing millions of families is one of economic suffocation. Skyrocketing prices for Yalda essentials—from nuts and fruit to sweets and even basic snacks—have stripped this cultural celebration of its joy, exposing the devastating impact of the regime’s economic policies on everyday life. Yalda 1404 has become more than a cultural moment; it is a stark mirror reflecting the collapse of purchasing power, the shrinking of household tables, and the forced transformation of consumption patterns. For the first time, items traditionally associated with celebration and abundance are now being sold on installment plans—an unprecedented indicator of how deeply Iran’s livelihood crisis has penetrated society.