THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 8:00 PM CET
Trump Allies Urge President to Block Starmer’s Chagos Deal over Iran Spying Fears
Donald Trump is facing calls from top Republicans to block Sir Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal over fears it will make it easier for Iran to spy on the US military. The US president has been urged by close allies to consign the deal to “the shredder for good” ahead of his first White House phone call with Sir Keir Starmer this week.
It comes after Mauritius opened talks with Tehran on hosting branches of Iranian universities, which security experts fear could be used to spy on the base at Diego Garcia.
Iran has previously been accused of using academic exchange programmes to install spies in Germany, Sweden and the United States.
Iranian Chargé d’Affaires Summoned to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry
Seyed Jafar Aghaei Maryan, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.
According to information provided by the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry to APA (Azerbaijani Press Agency), during the meeting, protests were raised over a recent public campaign in Iranian state-affiliated media targeting Azerbaijan and its leadership.
It was noted that after the 16th meeting of the “State Commission for Cooperation in Economic, Trade, and Humanitarian Fields between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” held in Tehran following a long hiatus and successful official talks, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Iran was summoned by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was followed by an unwarranted protest and a campaign in Iranian media, which caused misunderstandings.
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CET
Executions in Iran Met with Fury of Rebellious Youth
The heroic rebellious youth of Iran gave a fiery response to the wave of executions by the regime and its judiciary, which executed 14 prisoners from January 22 to January 24. They targeted the regime’s centers of oppression and corruption. The courageous rebellious youth carried out two explosions at a center of terrorism and fundamentalism in Tehran; four explosions at a headquarters of the repressive security forces in Bam; two explosions at the Basij headquarters of the IRGC in Barkhar, Isfahan; an explosion at a regime building in Tehran tasked with plundering the wealth of Iran’s impoverished population; one at a regime building in Mashhad; and another at a regime building in Arak. These actions were a reflection of the Iranian people’s message of “No to executions” to the criminal regime ruling Iran.
The Iranian Regime’s Factions Are Splitting Up in The Face of The Failed Nuclear Deal
Recent political developments, including the fall of the dictatorship in Syria and the ceasefire in Gaza, have once again revealed the crisis and deadlock in decision-making at the helm of Iran’s regime. On the one hand, one faction insists on resisting international pressures, while on the other hand, figures like regime President Masoud Pezeshkian and so-called reformists signal a willingness to reduce tensions and negotiate. This disparity underscores a deep rift within the regime. It demonstrates that the regime is in a dire crisis, unable to acknowledge international realities or formulate a cohesive strategy to navigate its crushing challenges.
In Pezeshkian’s interview with NBC, a series of contradictory positions were evident. On the one hand, he denied any plans to assassinate Donald Trump and affirmed a commitment to regional peace and stability. On the other hand, he expressed readiness for direct negotiations with the United States. These undeniable contradictions not only reveal confusion in the regime’s foreign policy but also indicate serious divisions among power factions regarding key issues.
The Silent Crisis: Child Labor in Iran
Child labor remains one of the most pressing social issues in Iran, with an estimated 1.6 to 2 million child laborers across the country. This figure, reported by Mohammad Mehdi Seyyed Naseri, a researcher of international children’s rights and a university lecturer, highlights the severity of the problem. In Tehran alone, there are approximately 70,000 working children. The numbers are also alarmingly high in cities like Mashhad and Shiraz, where immigration plays a significant role, as well as in border provinces plagued by economic poverty and migration.
While official statistics on the number of working girls in Iran are lacking, field investigations reveal a worrying trend: the number of girls engaged in labor, particularly in informal and street jobs, is rising. These girls face heightened risks of physical and psychological harm compared to their male counterparts. This gendered dimension underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions.
Iran Regime’s Claims of Human Rights Progress Contradicted by Mounting Evidence of Abuses
Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Minister for Legal and International Affairs of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday, January 24, 2025.
Presenting the regime’s defense of its fourth report on human rights in Iran, Gharibabadi asserted that the regime had made “serious progress” in human rights. However, his statements starkly contrasted with the growing evidence of severe human rights violations in Iran.
During his speech, Gharibabadi criticized “countries claiming human rights,” accusing them of imposing sanctions and supporting “terrorists” to challenge Iran’s regime. Without addressing the widespread and well-documented human rights abuses within Iran, he insisted that the regime adheres to its international human rights obligations.
The Tragic Death of 7-Year-Old Niyan Chaliyani in Bukan Due to Sexual Assault
On Saturday, January 25, 2025, the city of Bukan, western Iran, witnessed a large gathering and widespread protests by its residents. The demonstrations were sparked by the news of a young girl’s death due to torture and sexual assault. Participants demanded justice and punishment for the perpetrators of this tragedy. On the night of Thursday, January 16, 2025, a 7-year-old girl was brought to the emergency room of Bukan Hospital by her father, showing signs of reduced consciousness and drug poisoning. Niyan Chaliyani, a resident of the Zibashahr neighborhood in Bukan, had severe bruises, burns on her body, and heavy bleeding. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was transferred to a hospital in Urmia, the capital of West Azerbaijan Province.
Political Prisoner Nayyereh Behnood: Four Months of Uncertainty in Evin Prison
Political prisoner Nayyereh Behnood has been held in limbo for four months in the women’s ward of Evin Prison.
She was arrested by security forces in Tehran in early October 2024 and charged with accusations including “propaganda against the regime” and “assembly and collusion through membership in anti-regime groups.” However, her legal case remains unresolved, and no court hearings have been held to address the charges against her.
Nayyereh Behnood was interrogated for approximately one month in the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility, known as Ward 209 of Evin Prison. On October 21, 2024, she was transferred to the women’s ward of Evin, where she continues to await her fate.
Iran: Housing Constitutes 70% of Workers’ Expenses
Members of the Iranian regime’s Supreme Labor Council have reported from wage determination meetings that housing accounts for more than 70% of workers’ expenses. This has led labor and employer groups to pursue the issue of building housing for workers in collaboration with the government. However, many labor activists view this with skepticism, believing it to be an excuse for the government and employers to avoid raising wages in line with inflation and workers’ basic needs.
In this context, Mohammad Reza Tajik, a member of the Wage Committee of the Supreme Labor Council, told the state-run Tasnim news agency that one of the issues discussed was providing low-interest loans to workers. Another proposal was to rezone some land around industrial towns so employers could provide housing for workers.
At Least 14 Executions in Iran Within Three Days
In the span of three days, at least 14 individuals were executed in various prisons across Iran. Below is a detailed report of these incidents, which highlights the ongoing and alarming rate of executions in the country. On Monday, January 20, 2025, 38-year-old Saeed Deyani was executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan. A married father of two, Deyani was arrested five years ago on charges related to drug offenses and subsequently sentenced to death.
In the early hours of Monday, January 20, 2025, Hojjat Shahriari was executed in Borazjan Prison. He had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death following what has been described as an unfair trial process.
On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Karim Faridi, a 40-year-old man from Zanjan, was executed in Zanjan Prison. Faridi had been arrested four years ago on murder charges and sentenced to death.