THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET
Iran: Six Men at Risk of Execution after Grossly Unfair Trial
Six men – Abolhassan Montazer, Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, Pouya Ghobadi and Vahid Bani Amerian – are at risk of execution in Iran. In October 2024, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran convicted them of “armed rebellion against the state” (baghi) and sentenced them to death following a grossly unfair trial marred by allegations of torture and other ill-treatment to extract forced “confessions”.
According to informed sources, security agents beat Vahid Bani Amerian during his arrest in Tehran on 22 December 2023, leading to eye injuries, bleeding and bruising. He was then transferred to section 209 of Evin prison, where he was held in prolonged solitary confinement, in violation of the absolute prohibition against torture and ill-treatment, for two months. For the first two weeks after his arrest, Vahid Bani Amerian’s family were denied information about his fate and whereabouts, thereby subjecting him to enforced disappearance, a crime under international law.
UPDATE: 12:30 PM CET
Iran’s First Post-Suspension Flight to Europe Cancelled by France
Iran’s first planned flight to Europe after several months of suspension, scheduled to depart from Tehran to Paris on January 31, has been canceled by France, ISNA reported.
The European Union, along with the UK, imposed sanctions on three major Iranian airlines, namely IranAir, Mahan Air, and Saha Airlines, on October 14 over their alleged transfer of ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use in the war against Ukraine. The sanctions resulted in suspending all available flights to Europe, with Europe stating safety issues as a reason for the stoppage.
Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation (CAO) stated it has immediately initiated diplomatic channels through Iran’s Foreign Ministry and direct communication with French aviation authorities to resolve the issue.
UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET
Maryam Rajavi’s Meeting with André Chassaigne, Chair of the Democratic and Republican Left Group in the French National Assembly
On Monday, January 29, Maryam Rajavi met with Mr. André Chassaigne, a senior member of the Communist Party and the Chair of the Democratic and Republican Left Group in the French National Assembly, for discussions.
During the meeting, Maryam Rajavi highlighted the current state of the regime, besieged by internal and external crises. She stated, “The clerical regime, gripped by fear of a popular uprising, has resorted to an alarming escalation of executions. A significant number of political prisoners are on death row as the regime attempts to instill fear in society. However, it cannot silence the people.”
Mr. Chassaigne expressed his belief that change in Iran is imminent. He acknowledged the immense pressures the Iranian Resistance faced over the years and noted that the world widely recognizes, with substantial evidence, that the end of the regime is near.
Khamenei’s Lies Can’t Hide the Truth about Iran’s Economic Collapse
On January 22, Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s website published a speech he had given to “producers and private-sector economic activists,” which was both delusional and utterly grim. He attempted to depict a façade of strength and progress for his regime, but such remarks rely on deceptive strategies to deflect responsibility and project blame for the nation’s crises. These comments not only fail to address the deepening and compounding crises caused by his regime but also signal the impending collapse of his crumbling rule.
Khamenei spoke of a “discouraging atmosphere” that he claimed is being spread among youth and university students by “enemies with specific motives.”
Trump Team Gearing Up to Confront Terrorist Iran
Any week now, President Trump is going to approve renewed hard-line strategies against the terrorist state Iran after President Biden spent four years coddling the mullahs. The president’s close advisers are signaling it’s get-tough time again and that Iran’s dictatorship is vulnerable.
The historical irony is this: Mr. Biden’s goodwill convinced Iran that it was invincible. It’s backing of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, Jewish carnage stirred Israel to decimate Iran’s two most important terrorist clients, Hamas and Hezbollah. Amid the Iran empire debacle, anti-Syrian regime Islamists mounted offensives that ousted Bashar Assad, a key Iran geopolitical ally.
David Lammy Urged to Help Save Iranian Political Prisoners from Execution
An international group of academics, legal and political figures has written to the UN Commissioner for Human Rights urging him to step in to halt two executions of political prisoners in Iran.
Behrouz Ehsani, 71, a political prisoner since the 1980s, and Mehdi Hassani, 48, have been taken from the infamous Evin Prison in Tehran to the city’s Qezelhessar Prison, where the regime carries out its executions.
The charges against them include being members of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and enmity against God.
In their letter to Volker Türk, the public figures say the prisoners’ transfer “suggests authorities are preparing for their secret execution”.
The Growing Movement Against Executions in Iran
On Tuesday, January 29, Iranians inside the country and across the globe commemorated the start of the second year of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign in Iran’s prisons. In a speech, PMOI member Houri Saeedi said, “We stand with the prisoners who launched the ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ campaign from Ghezel Hesar Prison exactly one year ago.”
She also highlighted the national solidarity of Iranians and the global campaign to halt the execution of political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, emphasizing: “I would like to take this opportunity to express the gratitude and appreciation of the PMOI to all groups, personalities, and compatriots who joined this national campaign against executions in support of our imprisoned brothers and sisters. It is at critical moments like these… that the unity and solidarity of Iranians rise and attract global attention. Once again, within just 24 hours, we witnessed the support of hundreds of international political figures.”
Iranian Officials Implicated in Widespread Fuel Smuggling
Iran’s state-run newspaper Kayhan has acknowledged the involvement of government officials in large-scale fuel smuggling. In an article titled “The Central Staff of the Convention on Fuel Trafficking: The Crime of Government Officials Involved in Fuel Smuggling is Equal to Embezzlement,” Kayhan cites a legal official who confirms that the crime committed by government employees engaged in fuel smuggling is more severe than that of ordinary individuals and is legally classified as embezzlement.
According to estimates from the Central Headquarters for Combating Smuggling of Goods and Currency, approximately 25 million liters of fuel are smuggled out of Iran every day. The sheer volume of this illicit trade has led many to believe that smuggling is highly organized and not merely the work of independent actors.
Iran’s Leadership Crisis: Internal Struggles and Growing Fears of Regime Fragility
The recent speech by Iran’s Chief Justice, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, at the 25th Conference of Public Prosecutors on January 27, 2025, reveals deep fractures within the Iranian regime. His remarks expose not only the increasing instability of the regime but also the growing anxiety within its leadership about the regime’s survival. One of the focal points of Mohseni-Eje’i’s address was a pointed criticism of former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for his remarks at the Davos summit. In his speech, the Chief Justice emphasized the supposed dangers of engaging with Western powers:
“Today, the embodiment of tyranny is the American regime. We cannot rely on a tyrannical government to solve our problems. We must not be intimidated by the power of tyranny; we must have the utmost perseverance and resistance.”
Iran’s Deepening Medicine Crisis: Rising Costs and Systemic Corruption
Access to essential medicines has become an increasingly daunting challenge for millions in Iran. The country is grappling with a severe pharmaceutical crisis, marked by soaring drug prices and widespread shortages, placing an unbearable burden on patients and their families. One of the most alarming aspects of this crisis is the affordability of medicine. According to Hadi Ahmadi, a board member of the Iranian Pharmacists Association, the surge in drug prices has left many in shock. In an interview with IRNA, he revealed that out of every ten people who visit pharmacies, only seven can afford to purchase their prescribed medications. He questioned, “Why should people be forced to forgo essential medicine simply because they cannot afford it?”
Nasrin Hassani: Conditional Release Denied for Imprisoned Journalist
The request for conditional release of Nasrin Hassani, an imprisoned journalist, has been denied. She is currently serving her 19-month sentence in Bojnourd Prison among ordinary inmates, a clear violation of the principle of separating prisoners based on their charges.
The consolidation of two cases against Nasrin Hassani has been delayed, with an unusually prolonged legal process.
Nasrin Hassani, a mother to a teenage son, lost her job due to pressure from security forces. She was the editor-in-chief of the Siyahat Shargh weekly and was arrested by security forces in October 2022 during the nationwide protests in Iran.
Niyan Chaliyani: New Details on the Shocking Murder of a 7-Year-Old
We had already reported that on Friday, January 17, 2025, a 7-year-old girl named Niyan Chaliyani died in Urmia Hospital due to severe burns and sexual assault.
On the night of Thursday, January 16, 2025, Niyan’s father took her to the Emergency Room of Bukan Hospital when she showed signs of reduced consciousness and drug poisoning. Because of severe burns on her body and heavy bleeding, she was transferred to a hospital in Urmia, the capital of West Azerbaijan Province.
Complementary information now indicates that the father of Niyan Chaliyani and his companions had poured boiling water on her body to cover up the scars of sexual assault on her.
Iranian Workers’ Wages Have Dropped by More Than 400% in Ten Years
As news circulates regarding potential percentage increases in the minimum wage for workers covered by Iran’s labor law, the state-run ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday, January 28: “A more than 400% drop in workers’ wages in just ten years is an unprecedented phenomenon in Iran’s economic history.”
The news agency described this phenomenon as “unprecedented and extremely distressing,” stating that it has “pushed workers to the depths of absolute poverty, leaving them without any means to survive.”
The Iranian Regime Has Placed The “Noose of Execution” Around the People’s Necks
Saeed Masouri, one of Iran’s longest-serving political prisoners, has written a letter calling on member states of the United Nations to cut ties with the Iranian regime or condition their diplomatic relations on the cessation of executions.
In this letter, which Masouri states was written on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and addressed to Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, he highlights how Iranians have attempted to halt the regime’s execution machine through street protests, strikes, petitions, placards, and filing complaints with all possible institutions. He writes: “The government has placed the execution noose around the necks of all Iranians because it sees its survival in executing each and every citizen.”
Iranians in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver Rally Against Executions, Demand Freedom for Political Prisoners
Canada – January 25, 2025: Despite snowy and freezing weather, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held rallies and exhibitions in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver to protest the death sentences of political prisoners associated with the PMOI, particularly Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who face imminent execution.
MEK Supporters in Munich, Hamburg, and Heidelberg Protest Death Sentences and Demand Free Political Prisoners
Germany – January 27, 2025: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) gathered in Munich, Hamburg, and Heidelberg for rallies and exhibitions. The protests condemned the death sentences of political prisoners affiliated with the PMOI, particularly Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who face imminent execution. Participants also demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners.
Sweden, January 25, 2025: Iranians in Gothenburg Protest Executions, Demand Freedom for Political Prisoners
Sweden, Gothenburg – January 25, 2025: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) held a rally to protest the death sentences of political prisoners associated with the PMOI, particularly Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who face imminent execution. Iranians also called for the immediate release of all political prisoners.