THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:30 PM CEST
Non-Proliferation and Iran-related Designations
The following individuals have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:
SABER, Sayyed Mohammad Reza Seddighi, Iran; DOB 24 Aug 1974; nationality Iran; Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; National ID No. 2739202830 (Iran) (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
TALAB, Ahmad Haghighat (a.k.a. SADEGH, Ahmad Haghighat Taleb; a.k.a. TALEB, Ahmad Haghighat), Iran; DOB 12 Oct 1963; POB Borujerd, Iran; nationality Iran; Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Gender Male; National ID No. 4131686491 (Iran) (individual) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
The following entity has been added to OFAC’s SDN List:
FUYA PARS PROSPECTIVE TECHNOLOGISTS (a.k.a. POUYA PARS FANAVARAN AYANDEH NEGAR COMPANY; a.k.a. PUYA PARS FANAVARAN AYANDEH NEGAR COMPANY; a.k.a. “IDEAL VACUUM”; a.k.a. “IDEAL VACUUM STORE”), Number 18, 1st Mariam Street, Khayyam Boulevard, Shamsabad Industrial District, Tehran, Iran; Additional Sanctions Information – Subject to Secondary Sanctions; Organization Established Date 12 Feb 2013; National ID No. 14003220702 (Iran); Registration Number 434228 (Iran) [NPWMD] [IFSR].
Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran
On 4 April 2025, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP)2025/6901 amending Decision 2011/235/CFSP concerning restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities in view of the situation in Iran. The Council decided that the regime should be extended until 13 April 2026. It also decided that the entries concerning two persons designated in the Annex to Decision 2011/235/CFSP should be removed, and that the entries concerning 20 persons should be updated.
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova (Republic of), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Ukraine align themselves with this Council Decision.
UPDATE: 9:30 PM CEST
Iranian Prisoners: Hunger Strike in Regime Prisons against Execution Wave
It has been about 66 weeks since the launch of the “No to Executions Tuesday” campaign, a weekly hunger strike held every Tuesday and started by political prisoners in January 2024. The protest now includes detainees in 41 prisons across the country, as well as international human rights organizations, such as Hands Off Cain, whose Treasurer, Elisabetta Zamparutti, also participates in the strike.
The recent wave of executions in Iran is yet another confirmation of the regime’s brutal tactics to suppress dissent and maintain control. According to research by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the country’s main opposition group, 47 individuals were executed in a single week—from April 9 to 15—including 17 from the Baluchi minority.
Iranian State Terrorism and The Case for Supporting The Democratic Resistance
In recent years, the scale of Iranian state-sponsored terrorism across Europe and beyond has reached alarming levels. The UK, too, has not been spared. Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police arrested eight Iranian nationals in two significant counter-terrorism operations. Five were arrested for plotting to attack a “specific premises”, while the other three were detained under the National Security Act for activities linked to a “foreign power threat”, widely believed to be Iran.
While I was writing this article on Friday afternoon, BBC News announced the arrest of another Iranian suspect in London for the alleged foiled terror plot against the Israeli embassy in London.
UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST
International Nurses Day 2025: A Spotlight on the Crisis Facing Nurses in Iran
Every year on May 12, the world observes International Nurses Day, commemorating the birth of Florence Nightingale in 1820. Recognized as the founder of modern nursing, Nightingale’s legacy is celebrated for her pioneering work during the Crimean War, where she significantly improved sanitation and healthcare practices. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) designated this day in 1974 to honor the invaluable contributions of nurses worldwide.
However, as we pay tribute to nurses globally, it’s imperative to shed light on the escalating crisis facing nurses in Iran that not only undermines the well-being of these healthcare professionals but also jeopardizes the country’s entire healthcare system.
School Van Fire in Urmia Claims the Life of a Young Student
On Saturday, May 10, Mahsa Asghari, a young schoolgirl who had suffered severe burns in a school van fire in Urmia, succumbed to her injuries.
The tragic incident occurred on April 29, when a school van carrying nine female students caught fire following a traffic accident. All nine students sustained various degrees of injuries and burns.
Mahsa was initially taken to the hospital in Urmia and later transferred to a specialized burn center in Tehran. Despite extensive medical efforts, she passed away due to the severity of her injuries.
The remaining eight students are recovering at home after receiving initial medical treatment.
Fuel Smuggling in Iran: A National Crisis Driven by Corruption and the IRGC
Fuel smuggling has emerged as one of Iran’s most pressing economic and national security crises, driven not by petty criminals, but by powerful organized networks—many of them allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Official reports and public statements reveal a daily exodus of 20 to 25 million liters of fuel, particularly diesel, through Iran’s eastern and western borders into Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and even Tajikistan.
These operations, often conducted under the guise of bypassing international sanctions, have created a shadow economy that enriches a select few while depleting national resources. The consequences are severe: frequent blackouts, nationwide fuel shortages, and a deepening burden on Iran’s struggling population.
Iran’s Land Subsidence Crisis: A Silent Catastrophe Fueled by Neglect
Land subsidence—once a distant environmental concern—has now engulfed over 90,000 square kilometers of Iran, posing one of the gravest environmental and humanitarian threats the country has ever faced. Yet, despite clear warnings from experts, the Iranian regime remains largely indifferent, allowing the crisis to spiral unchecked. According to Seyyed Eskandar Saydaei, head of Iran’s national mapping organization, land subsidence has reached catastrophic levels. Speaking to the state-run IRNA news agency on May 7, 2025, he labeled the phenomenon a “national crisis,” noting that the affected area is equivalent to five major countries in size.
Widespread Coverage of Iranian Resistance’s Nuclear Revelation
Following a new revelation by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) regarding the Iranian regime’s secret nuclear projects, a wave of international reactions and coverage has emerged across media outlets, analysts, and diplomatic entities. The revelation, presented during a press conference on Thursday, May 8, 2025, by the NCRI’s representative office in Washington, unveiled unprecedented details of a covert project at the Ivanekey facility in Semnan Province. According to sources within the Iranian opposition, this project is part of the regime’s nuclear weapons program overseen by an entity known as SPND (The Defense Advanced Research Organization).
The Heavy Cost of Iran’s Nuclear Program
As long and daily power outages return to cities across Iran with the onset of summer, former foreign minister of the Iranian regime, Mohammad Javad Zarif, stated that by 2021, Iran had incurred at least one trillion dollars in costs and damages due to investments in nuclear energy. It is important to note that this figure was stated by a regime official, and the actual amount is likely much higher.
For the past three decades, Iranian regime officials have consistently claimed that their goal in building nuclear power plants is the peaceful use of nuclear energy, including electricity generation. However, according to the Ministry of Energy, nuclear power has so far accounted for only 1.1% of total electricity production in Iran.
Malmö Rally Condemns Iran’s Human Rights Violations and Execution Threats Against Political Prisoners
Malmö, Sweden — May 10, 2025 — A rally held in Malmö brought urgent attention to Iran’s worsening human rights crisis, with a particular focus on political prisoners facing imminent execution.
Organized by supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), the event highlighted the cases of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. Both men, imprisoned in Iran for political activism, are reportedly at immediate risk of execution after their appeals for retrial were denied.
Berlin Exhibition Exposes Escalating Political Executions and Human Rights Violations in Iran
Berlin, Germany – May 10, 2025: Supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) organized an exhibition in Berlin to raise awareness about Iran’s deepening human rights crisis, drawing particular attention to the alarming rise in executions of political prisoners.