Iran News in Brief – May 28, 2026

May 26, 2026 – Supporters of the NCRI held an exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland, to protest the execution of PMOI political prisoners
May 26, 2026 – Supporters of the NCRI held an exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland, to protest the execution of PMOI political prisoners

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS

UPDATE: 8:00 AM CEST

Deepening Infighting Over Iran’s Internet Shutdown Exposes a Regime Terrified of the People

AI-generated illustration depicting the architecture of digital authoritarianism, surveillance, and internet control in Iran

After 88 days of an unprecedented nationwide internet blackout, the Iranian regime is facing escalating internal chaos over whether to restore connectivity. The near-total shutdown, which lasted for over 2,093 hours, began following the start of the recent conflict on February 28, 2026.

According to NetBlocks, this blackout surpassed all previous instances in Iran and globally in both duration and severity. As the regime cautiously attempts to ease this digital dark age, severe factional warfare has erupted.

On May 26, the spokesperson for Masoud Pezeshkian’s government announced on state television that the president had issued a directive to return internet access to the conditions prior to the nationwide uprisings of December 2025–January 2026. The decision was reportedly finalized by a newly formed “Special Headquarters for Organizing and Steering Cyberspace,” chaired by Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref. However, the regime’s fractured state was immediately exposed.

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Iranian Regime Hands Heavy Prison Sentences to Activists as Domestic Crackdown Escalates

In its continuous campaign to stifle dissent, the Iranian regime’s judiciary has sentenced political prisoner Bijan Kazemi to a total of 37 years and 6 months in prison. Presided over by the notorious judge Abolqasem Salavati in Branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, the ruling follows 16 months of arbitrary detention, interrogation, and severe torture. This severe punishment, alongside the systematic targeting of other activists, highlights the regime’s growing reliance on judicial repression to maintain its grip on power.

Kazemi, 45, was arrested by intelligence agents in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province, on January 21, 2025. Following his arrest, he was held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, transferred to Fashafouyeh Prison in July 2025, and later returned to Evin in October 2025.

Interrogators accused Kazemi of providing weapons to the assailant of Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh, two senior judiciary executioners who were eliminated in mid-January 2025. Razini and Moghiseh were involved in the execution of thousands of dissidents.

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Resistance Units Expand Anti-Execution Campaign Across Iranian Cities

Chabahar, southeastern Iran – A large portrait of the slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei burns during a fiery protest operation by PMOI/MEK Resistance Units,

On May 26, 2026, Resistance Units across multiple Iranian cities carried out a coordinated wave of political and protest activities in response to the regime’s ongoing executions and intensifying repression. The campaign coincided with the anniversary of the execution of the founders of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and emphasized continuity between generations of resistance confronting religious dictatorship in Iran.

Through photo campaigns, banners, and poster installations, activists highlighted themes of perseverance, sacrifice, and defiance against state repression. Many of the slogans referenced loyalty to the ideals of freedom and the continuation of resistance despite arrests, executions, and intimidation.

One of the central slogans repeated across several cities declared:

“The battle for freedom from the chains of oppressors continues.”

Another widely displayed message stated:

“From the red blood of our comrades shall rise thousands of storms; the Resistance Units will stand until the end.”

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Iran’s Water Crisis: Decades of Mismanagement Now Threaten Millions

The water crisis in Iran has reached the point of no return

Iran’s deepening water crisis is no longer a distant environmental warning. It has become an immediate threat to public health, food security, economic stability, and the survival of millions living in the country’s largest urban centers. Yet despite years of escalating alarms, the ruling establishment continues to respond with denial, deflection, and demands for public “sacrifice” rather than meaningful structural reform.

Recent statements by officials from Iran’s meteorological and water management agencies reveal the scale of the crisis now unfolding across the country. Authorities have warned of severe water stress in Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Saveh, and Arak, while official figures show that one-third of the country’s dam reservoir capacity remains empty despite increased rainfall in parts of Iran.

The contradiction itself is telling.

Although regime officials claim national rainfall averages have approached or even slightly exceeded long-term norms this year, uneven distribution, infrastructure failures, environmental degradation, and chronic mismanagement have left vast areas of the country dangerously vulnerable. The crisis is no longer simply about rainfall. It is about governance.

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Iranian Women, Imprisoned Behind Bars, Confined After Release

On the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, observed annually on May 28, this report highlights a less visible dimension of women’s rights violations in Iran; women whose health and access to medical care have become instruments of repression and punishment.

In recent years, numerous reports from Evin Prison, Qarchak Prison in Varamin, Lakan Prison in Rasht, Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, and other detention centers have revealed a systematic pattern of medical neglect, delayed hospital transfers, psychological pressure, repeated arrests, and intimidation of prisoners’ families targeting women prisoners, protesters, and civil activists.

For many female prisoners in Iran, the body itself has become a site of punishment.

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Zurich Exhibition Condemns Executions, Calls for Massive June 20 Rally

Zurich, Switzerland – May 26, 2026 – Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held an exhibition in Zurich to protest the execution of PMOI political prisoners, along with protesters arrested in January 2026. The event also voiced support for the “No to Execution” campaign.

Zurich Exhibition Condemns Executions, Calls for Massive June 20 Rally - May 26, 2026 - Video 3

Participants displayed banners reading “No to Executions in Iran” and voiced support for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran, calling for an end to executions and the immediate release of all political prisoners.

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Paris Exhibition by MEK Supporters Condemns Executions, Calls for Massive June 20 Rally

Paris, France – May 26, 2026 – Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held an exhibition to protest the execution of political prisoners and demonstrators in the wake of the January 2026 uprising. The event underscored renewed demands for freedom, justice, and the protection of human rights in Iran.

Zurich Exhibition Condemns Executions, Calls for Massive June 20 Rally - May 26, 2026 - Video 2

The exhibition honored victims of the Iranian regime’s executions, showcasing powerful images and personal stories that highlighted their sacrifice. It underscored the Iranian people’s ongoing resistance and their demand for a democratic republic.

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Also, read Iran News in Brief – May 27, 2026

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