THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
Treasury Imposes Additional Sanctions on Iran’s Shadow Fleet as Part of Maximum Pressure Campaign
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the U.S. Department of State are imposing sanctions on over 30 persons and vessels in multiple jurisdictions for their role in brokering the sale and transportation of Iranian petroleum-related products. Among those sanctioned today are oil brokers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hong Kong, tanker operators and managers in India and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the head of Iran’s National Iranian Oil Company, and the Iranian Oil Terminals Company, whose operations help finance Iran’s destabilizing activities. The vessels sanctioned today are responsible for shipping tens of millions of barrels of crude oil valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
UPDATE: 1:00 PM CET
Democratic Opposition Shows Determination for Regime Change in Iran
It is exactly 46 years ago this month that an anti-monarchist revolution took place in Iran. Although many Iranians aspired to democracy, Islamic clerics seized power and established one of the most repressive dictatorships in modern history.
Yet the Iranian people have never given up their fight for freedom and democracy. In recent decades, they have built a strong resistance movement, led by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Since the 1980s, the NCRI has been calling for regime change in Iran. Despite enormous obstacles, the organization has remained firm in its mission and has focused on the establishment of a free and democratic Iran. On the occasion of the anniversary of the 1979 revolution, NCRI organized a large meeting at Denfert-Rochereau in Paris at the beginning of this month.
UPDATE: 9:30 AM CET
New Dawn for Iran: The Inevitable Fall of a Repressive Regime
On a chilly Saturday in Paris, February 8, 2025, the air was charged with the fervent hopes of thousands of Iranians, who marked the 46th anniversary of the Shah’s overthrow not merely as a historical reflection, but as a clarion call for a new revolution. This assembly, organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), wasn’t just a rally but a potent declaration against tyranny and a manifesto for democracy and freedom in Iran.
Drawing thousands from Iranian diaspora communities and garnering substantial international support, the colorful and enthusiastic rally and march transcended geographical and cultural boundaries, uniting voices from diverse backgrounds, including representatives from 320 Iranian associations spanning Europe, North America, and Australia, as well as members of various nationalities, such as Kurdish, Baluch, and Arab communities, in a chorus calling for the Iranian regime’s end.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM CET
Iran’s Descent into Economic Despair
While Iran is one of the largest producers of agricultural products, such as potatoes, in the region, we are now witnessing a worrying phenomenon: the installment sale of this essential product.
The people of Iran have been enduring difficult times for decades due to the regime’s destructive policies, systematic corruption, the priority of military and security budgets for suppression, and finally, the rent-seeking economy.
Despite the bombastic propaganda of various governments in this regime, there is no plan to support producers and consumers. Inflationary policies, lack of control over liquidity, and mismanagement in the agricultural sector have caused even domestically produced goods to face astronomical price increases.
Cryptocurrency in Iran: A Double-Edged Sword Amid Sanctions and Economic Turmoil
The Iranian regime’s approach to cryptocurrency has become increasingly complex amidst ongoing sanctions and geopolitical tensions. As highlighted in a recent Chainalysis report, the Iranian government has been forced to adapt its financial strategies in response to extensive U.S. sanctions, which have been in place since the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The report indicates that cryptocurrency has emerged as a vital tool for both the regime and ordinary citizens seeking financial stability.
In 2024, Iranian entities accounted for a substantial portion of the sanctions-related cryptocurrency activity, with outflows reaching $4.18 billion—an increase of approximately 70% from the previous year. This surge is indicative of a broader trend where individuals and businesses in Iran are increasingly turning to cryptocurrency as a means of preserving wealth and circumventing government-imposed financial restrictions. The volatility of the Iranian rial, which has lost about 90% of its value since the U.S. exited the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, has further exacerbated this shift towards digital currencies.
Iran’s Economic Crisis Deepens as Currency and Gold Prices Soar
The Iranian economy continues to reel under the relentless depreciation of the national currency and soaring gold prices. On Saturday, February 22, the US dollar was traded at an unprecedented 95,020 tomans on Ferdowsi Street in Tehran. Simultaneously, the price of gold coins surged to 79,920,000 tomans, marking new record highs and intensifying concerns over inflation and economic instability.
As the crisis escalates, president Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration faces growing criticism from parliament members, media outlets, and even figures within the regime. The so-called reformist-affiliated newspapers have also joined the chorus, demanding an explanation for his administration’s failure to curb the rapid rise in the exchange rate—a key driver of inflation affecting essential goods and food prices.
Iranian Political Prisoner Mehdi Hassani Faces Imminent Execution After Supreme Court Rejects Retrial Request
Daughter of Iranian political prisoner Mehdi Hassani: My father could be executed at any moment. Maryam Hassani, the daughter of Mohammad Hassani, a political prisoner sentenced to death, has announced that the Supreme Court has rejected her father’s request for a retrial. On Sunday, February 23, she wrote on X: “According to my father’s lawyer, his retrial request has been rejected, and his execution could be carried out at any moment.”
Mehdi Hassani’s execution had previously been halted after the Supreme Court accepted his lawyer’s request for a retrial. Mr. Hassani, born in 1976, is married and the father of two children. He was arrested on September 9, 2022, in Zanjan while attempting to leave the country and was subsequently transferred to Evin Prison.
Expansion of Informal Settlements and Poverty in Iran
Abdolreza Golpayegani, the Iranian regime’s Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development described the issue of informal settlements as serious and reported that currently “around 6.5 to 7 percent of Iran’s population lives in the outskirts of cities.”
In an interview with the state-run ILNA news agency, published on Sunday, February 23, Golpayegani described the situation in Razavi Khorasan Province (mainly Mashhad), Sistan and Baluchestan, Hormozgan (Bandar Abbas), Khuzestan, and Tehran as “more critical.”
He stated, “In some cities of Tehran Province, the figures and statistics for informal settlements are very high. We are witnessing informal settlements within Tehran itself, and this phenomenon has spread into the city’s urban boundaries. In areas such as Islam Abad Valley, Farahzad Valley, Oqaf neighborhood, Khak Sefid, southeast Tehran, and parts of District 19, informal settlements are expanding.”
MEK Supporters Demand Justice in LA, Call for March 8 Rally in Washington
Los Angeles, California – February 22, 2025: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held an exhibition to show solidarity with the Iranian Revolution and denounce the regime’s growing use of executions.
#California, February 22, 2025: MEK Supporters Demand Justice in LA, Call for March 8 Rally in #WashingtonDC #2025RallyForAFreeIran #FreeIran2025 https://t.co/zpqjFr7Fxe
— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) February 23, 2025
They promoted the upcoming rally in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, March 8, 2025, to demand justice, democracy, and an end to oppression in Iran.
As part of the “No to Execution” campaign, participants called for an end to human rights violations and demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners in Iran. They also strongly condemned the death sentences imposed on PMOI-affiliated political prisoners.
Melbourne Exhibition Highlights Human Rights Violations in Iran and Honors Alireza Madanchi’s Legacy
