THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 2:30 PM CEST
Iran Seeks Belarus Help to Restore Air Defense Systems, Ukraine’s Intelligence Says
Iran is interested in receiving assistance from Belarus to restore its air defense and electronic warfare systems damaged during the recent escalation with Israel, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service reported on Aug. 22.
A war between Iran and Israel broke out on June 13, with both sides agreeing to a ceasefire on June 24. Just hours after the ceasefire was announced, both countries launched attacks against each other. Despite these initial violations, the truce now appears to be holding.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Minsk on Aug. 20. While the official agenda focused on trade, investment, and broader cooperation, Ukrainian intelligence says that behind closed doors, Tehran also sought Belarusian help in military-technical support.
UPDATE: 10:00 AM CEST
Ingrid Betancourt: “Why I Chose to Support the Iranian Resistance”
On July 31 in Rome, during the Summit for a Free Iran, I renewed my call to recognize the MEK (PMOI) as the legitimate voice of the Iranian people. The Tehran regime is now weakened. This is the moment to act — to support this alternative, which alone offers a guarantee against Iran’s nuclear bomb. A few days ago, the Iranian regime executed without notice and arbitrarily two members of the PMOI/MEK (People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran), Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. Fourteen others are expected to be executed soon and are currently awaiting death on death row.
Since Khomeini’s rise to power, this movement has been the target of the most brutal persecutions as well as relentless disinformation campaigns.
It was in Paris, several years ago, that I first discovered the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). I had been invited to a conference on human rights in Iran, alongside personalities I deeply admire, such as Elie Wiesel, who had once spoken out in my defense when I was held hostage by the FARC guerrilla in Colombia.
Mahfoud: Expel the Iranian Ambassador and Staff in Beirut Until Further Notice
Eli Mahfoud, lawyer and head of the “Change Movement” party, responded to statements made by Ali Larijani regarding Hezbollah. In a post on the X platform, Mahfoud said: “Mr. Larijani, who brazenly interferes in Lebanon’s political affairs, continues to operate a militia, and after his statement today declaring that he will continue supporting it as before and claiming that Hezbollah is an ‘asset’ for Lebanon, we implore the Lebanese government to make an immediate decision to cut relations with the clerical dictatorship in Iran.”
He added: “Expel the Iranian ambassador and the entire Iranian staff working in Beirut until further notice.”
السيد لاريجاني المقتحم للحياة السياسية في لبنان يواصل بوقاحة تشغيل ميليشيا وبعد تصريحه اليوم بأنه سيواصل مساعدتها كما في السابق وبأن ZBح الله هو رأس مال للبنان..
نستحلف الحكومة اللبنانية باتخاذ قرار فوري بقطع العلاقات مع الجمهورية الاسلامية الإيرانية
أطردوا السفير والطاقم…— Elie Mahfoud (@MahfoudElie) August 22, 2025
After Both Appeasement and War, Europe’s Policy Toward Iran Demands a Third Option
Tehran’s worsening human rights abuses and the accompanying persistence of opposition activism will both be highlighted for international audiences on 6 September when tens of thousands of Iranian expatriates from throughout Europe gather in Brussels for a protest rally, writes Carlo Ciccioli.
Western policies toward the Islamic Republic of Iran have struggled to effect positive outcomes since the inception of the theocratic dictatorship in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution. All efforts to appease or negotiate with that regime have ultimately led to increases in the breadth and severity of its malign activities, and in June the persistent failure to effectively address those activities led to the sudden outbreak of war between Iran and Israel.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CEST
Maryam Rajavi Meets with U.S. Congressman Raul Ruiz
U.S. Congressman Raul Ruiz, a Democrat, met with Maryam Rajavi for discussions on the situation in Iran. During the meeting, Maryam Rajavi outlined the explosive state of Iranian society, the regime’s fear of growing popular uprisings, the increasing support among young people for the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the Resistance Units, as well as the rise in repression and executions. She emphasized that the ruling religious fascism in Iran is weaker than ever, and particularly after suffering serious setbacks in the region, it has resorted increasingly to repression to maintain its grip on power.
Maryam Rajavi stressed that the solution to the Iranian crisis lies neither in appeasement nor in foreign military intervention, but in change brought about by the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance. The Iranian people and Resistance have never shied away from paying the ultimate price for freedom.
Rebellious youth respond with fire after Iranian regime destroys graves of political prisoners
On Thursday, August 21, 2025, Iran’s heroic rebellious youth struck at the centers of oppression and crime belonging to the IRGC and the anti-people Basij militia. This action was in response to the destruction and leveling of the graves of thousands of martyrs of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Section 41 of Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, an act ordered by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In this series of defiant operations, the following bases and symbols of repression and crime were targeted:
- Setting fire to two IRGC Basij bases in Tehran
- Setting fire to two IRGC Basij units in Mashhad
- Setting fire to a center of fundamentalism and crime in Mashhad
- Setting fire to an IRGC Basij base in Urmia
- Setting fire to two IRGC Basij bases in Kerman
Shiraz Protests Over Water, Power Outages; Strong Role of Women
Shiraz Protests Over Water, Power Outages; Strong Role of Women; Shiraz, the capital of Fars Province in southern Iran, witnessed major protests over the past two days against widespread water and power outages with a strong presence of women. On Thursday, August 21, 2025, large crowds gathered in front of the Fars Provincial Governor’s Office, followed by another mass demonstration on Friday, August 22, at the same location and at Falakeh Gaz Square. Thursday’s rally was marked by the remarkable presence of young women, who played a decisive role in sustaining the protest. They stood at the forefront, leading chants and directing the course of the demonstration—once again highlighting the central role of women in Iran’s protest movements.
Systematic Repression of Religious Minorities in Iran
On 22 August, the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, the world recalls one of the most fundamental human rights: freedom of religion and belief. This right, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is systematically violated in Iran under the rule of the clerical regime.
Followers of different faiths and beliefs have long been subjected to widespread arrests, torture, mass executions, the destruction of religious sites, and continuous social and economic pressures. This report, issued on the occasion of the International Day, provides a documented picture of the systematic repression of religious minorities in Iran.
Students In Iran’s Villages Go to School Without Breakfast and Faint
The state-run Shargh newspaper reported on malnutrition caused by poverty among families of students in nomadic and rural schools, writing that many of these children are forced to wake up early in the morning and, on empty stomachs, walk long distances ranging from 20 minutes to an hour and a half to reach their schools. On August 21, this newspaper quoted social activists who described the scenes of students fainting in school lines as heartbreaking, writing: “These children practically have no fuel for learning, and teachers and principals, due to the lack of even a single grocery store near the school, cannot provide food for them and often are forced to send the students home after such incidents.”
Internet Filtering in Iran: From Repression to Profiteering
Despite promises of reform, the Iranian regime continues internet censorship, turning VPN sales into a multi-billion-toman business for regime insiders. One year after Iranian regime president Masoud Pezeshkian pledged to remove filtering on social networks and reduce internet censorship, nothing has changed. Popular platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, Telegram, TikTok, Netflix, Viber, Clubhouse, Snapchat, Signal, Google Play, Discord, Reddit, and even the Waze navigation app remain blocked in Iran.
Despite this widespread filtering, millions of Iranians continue to bypass censorship using VPNs. International statistics indicate that between 50 and 60 million people in Iran access Instagram and Telegram daily through VPN services. The regime’s failure to deliver on its promises has once again exposed the lies behind its rhetoric, while the true motivations for maintaining filtering have come into sharper focus.
Karun River Faces Catastrophic Drought as Mismanagement Fuels Crisis
Iran’s longest river is drying up due to dam construction, water mismanagement, and climate change, threatening ecosystems, public health, and livelihoods in Khuzestan. The Karun River, stretching more than 950 kilometers and known as Iran’s longest river, is on the verge of an unprecedented environmental catastrophe. Declining water flow, the drying up of riverbeds, and the stench of stagnant water have alarmed experts and activists, raising fears of irreversible damage.
Ali Arwahi, a wetland ecosystem management specialist, told Khabar Online on Thursday, August 21, that while climate change plays a role, the root of the crisis lies in “incorrect governance and inefficient management of water resources.” He pointed to excessive dam construction, water-intensive agriculture, and the expansion of industries such as steel and petrochemicals as major culprits.
Prominent Figures Support Brussels Free Iran Rally on September 6, 2025
The upcoming Brussels Free Iran Rally on September 6, 2025, has received strong support from two prominent international figures: Rt. Hon. David Jones, former UK Parliament member and Brexit Minister, and Ana Helena Chacón, former Vice President of Costa Rica. In a video message, Rt. Hon. David Jones expressed his support, stating, “I’m very pleased to give my support to the Brussels Free Iran Rally on the 6th of September. The event reflects the authentic voice of a nation that has suffered for far too long under serial dictatorships.”
He highlighted the ongoing wave of executions in Iran, including recent cases of Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani, and called for the recognition of Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point plan for a democratic republic.