THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CET
Iran – Death Penalty (February 20, 2025)
France condemns in the strongest possible terms the 975 executions that took place in Iran in 2024. These executions are a symbol of the relentless repression that is being carried out on all those who dare to express the Iranian people’s legitimate aspirations for freedom. Together with its partners, France calls on the Iranian authorities to stop these executions and death sentences. France reiterates its opposition to the death penalty in all places and in all circumstances.
Iran’s Nuke Provocations Reveal Regime Change Opportunities
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently warned that Iran is “pressing the gas pedal” on its nuclear program, in the form of accelerated uranium enrichment which could allow it to stockpile enough weapons-grade material for several nuclear bombs within a matter of weeks. Even more recently, U.S. intelligence sources revealed evidence of a secret program involving a team of Iranian scientists who aim to set the stage for even more rapid development of a crude nuclear weapon. This came close on the heels of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) revealing the locations and other key details of formerly undisclosed sites which underscore the regime’s commitment to developing nuclear weapons capability.
Leaked Video Shows Mohammad Moghiseh Discussing 1988 Mass Executions
A newly surfaced video clip from February 15, 2025, reveals Mohammad Moghiseh, an Iranian judge and interrogator, recounting a pivotal meeting with Ruhollah Khomeini regarding the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. In the footage, Moghiseh describes how he and six other officials visited Khomeini, who explicitly ordered them to continue the executions without hesitation.
“This matter concerns me alone. Do not concern yourselves with Qom or elsewhere. Just ensure that none of these Monafeqin [the MEK members] escape God’s verdict,” Khomeini reportedly said, according to Moghiseh’s account in the clip.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Newt’s World Episode 813: Iran’s Resistance Movement
Thousands of opponents to Iran’s authorities rallied in Paris, organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), to call for the fall of the government in Tehran. The protest coincides with President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran. Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of NCRI, discusses the Iranian resistance, highlighting the regime’s use of its space program to camouflage nuclear weapons development and the importance of international support for the Iranian opposition. Their conversation covers the history of Iran’s political landscape, the role of the NCRI in exposing the regime’s activities, and the potential for significant change in Iran through internal resistance and external pressure.
Khamenei Admits Defeat in Battle for Public Trust among Iran’s People
In a speech on February 17, 2025, Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei once again revealed his deep fear about the unstable state of the regime and the inevitable prospect of its overthrow. He acknowledged the sequential desertions and demoralization among the regime’s rank and file and dispirited forces with the phrase “doubts about the pillars of the state!” and, to boost their morale, resorted to empty boasting.
“Today, in terms of hard defense, in terms of the enemy’s hard threat, we have no worries or problems. Today, thank God, we ourselves know, our friends know, and our enemies know that Islamic Iran, in terms of its ability to deal with hard threats, is at a high level, and the people feel secure in this regard. Therefore, our issue today is not the enemy’s hard threats,” Khamenei said.
Iran’s Economic Turmoil: A Ticking Time Bomb for The Regime
This is the headline of the state-run Etemad newspaper—a warning, an alarm bell. It refers to what the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) media outlet Javan anxiously wrote about on February 17: “Its scope could lead to imposing significant costs on the system.”
The red alarms are due to crushing price hikes, which, MP Malek Shariati warned on February 17 have “turned into a nightmare for the people; everyone is asking how long this situation will continue.”
Every week, the price of a basic commodity skyrockets. Recently, it was medicine’s turn, with prices rising fivefold. Even the state-owned pharmaceutical company Zahravi announced a 415% price increase for its products. The situation became so dire that MP Hassan Shojai Ali Abadi was forced to admit on February 16: “Medicine prices are so outrageous that patients cannot afford to buy their medication.”
Qom Salt Lake Faces Critical Risk of Becoming a Major Dust Storm Source
Ali Tahmasbi, the secretary of Iran’s National Dust Management Headquarters, has warned that Qom Salt Lake is at risk of transforming into a significant dust storm hotspot, potentially endangering the health of 20 million people across the country.
Speaking at the National Conference on Strategies for the Sustainability of the Salt Lake Ecosystem and Dust Control in Qom on Wednesday, Tahmasbi emphasized that the situation in the Sarajeh region, located near the lake, has reached a critical point. He cautioned that any mismanagement of the lake could expose a quarter of Iran’s population to severe dust storms.
Environmental experts and activists have long warned that failing to secure Qom Salt Lake’s water rights could lead to disastrous consequences, turning the lake into a major source of pollution. Experts highlight that salt dust, which contains heavy metals, poses serious health risks.
Iran Circumvents U.S. Sanctions to Boost Oil Exports to China
Bloomberg News has reported a significant surge in Iran’s oil exports to China, as traders continue to bypass U.S. sanctions. According to industry sources, the increase is largely attributed to enhanced ship-to-ship oil transfers and the emergence of new, alternative terminals for receiving Iranian cargo.
Preliminary data from Kepler Energy Information Administration indicates that Iran’s oil exports to China reached 1.74 million barrels per day during the first two weeks of February. This figure represents an 86% increase compared to the daily average in January, marking the highest volume of Iranian oil shipments to China since October 2024.
Join Us on 22 February for the 2025 International Women’s Day Conference in Solidarity with Iranian Women
The NCRI Women’s Committee is proud to announce the annual International Women’s Day Conference, hosted by the Iranian democratic opposition, taking place on Saturday, 22 February 2025 in Paris, France. This year’s event holds special significance as it aligns with the themes of CSW69 (2025), shining a global spotlight on women’s rights and gender equality.
The 2025 conference will honor the fearless struggle of Iranian women against oppression, spotlighting their resistance to the repressive laws and measures designed to control and silence their voices. Beyond the compulsory hijab, Iranian women are standing up to the entirety of the regime’s injustices, including its crimes against society, economy, culture, ecology, ethnicities, and religions. They are fighting not only for their own freedom but for a brighter future for all Iranians.
A Lethal Iranian Regime Drone Displayed at Major Republican Event in the U.S.
At this year’s major Republican gathering in the U.S., on Thursday, February 20, an Iranian regime-manufactured drone was displayed as definitive evidence of its involvement in transnational wars.
This drone, a Shahed-136 model produced by the Iranian regime, was recently transferred to the United States.
The Shahed-136 drone is manufactured under the supervision of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization.
The Outflow of Capital from Iran Through Cryptocurrencies Increased By “70 Percent” In 2024
A recent report published by the American company Chainalysis reveals that 39 percent of “illegal cryptocurrency transactions” in 2024 were carried out by countries under U.S. sanctions, including Iran.
The report states that entities and countries under U.S. sanctions traded $15.8 billion worth of cryptocurrency last year. Financial restrictions and geopolitical tensions have pushed countries like Iran and Russia toward digital assets as a means to circumvent sanctions.
Chainalysis, a New York-based company specializing in Bitcoin tracking and blockchain analysis, highlighted in its recent report Iran’s growing reliance on cryptocurrencies and the outflow of capital from the country through domestic centralized exchanges.
Sheffield, UK – February 18, 2025: ‘Academics in Exile’ Exhibition Exposes Iran’s Human Rights Violations
Sheffield, UK – February 18, 2025: The Academics in Exile Association, which supports the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), organized a book and photo exhibition to protest the death sentences imposed on political prisoners affiliated with the PMOI. The organizers condemned the Iranian regime’s ongoing human rights violations and expressed solidarity with the Iranian Revolution.
Zurich Exhibition Condemns Iranian Regime’s Human Rights Violations and Calls for Democratic Change
Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran ((PMOI/MEK) gathered in Zurich on February 17, 2025, to hold an exhibition condemning the death sentences imposed on political prisoners associated with the PMOI and highlighting human rights abuses by the Iranian regime. The event drew attention to the plight of political prisoners and called for their immediate release.