THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS
UPDATE: 10:00 PM CEST
A Weakened Iranian Regime Must Be Pressed, US Diplomat Says
Ambassador David Hale, former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon and Jordan, believes that the U.S. should maximize pressure on Iran while it is in a weakened state. Speaking on Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power,” Hale expressed skepticism about reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran, stating that the U.S. “rushed” into negotiations, giving Iran “breathing room” to delay the process.
Hale suggested that the fear of a military operation against the regime might have diminished, as the Iranians are aware of President Trump’s reluctance for military engagement. He emphasized the need for sustained pressure through sanctions, political leverage, and a broad coalition, rather than solely relying on military successes, to compel Tehran into making critical decisions regarding its nuclear program.
Hale also noted that while there are counter-arguments about the feasibility of a decisive military strike against Iran’s nuclear program, the current period represents a “window of opportunity” to exert political pressure. He warned that Iran would eventually regain its strength and repair its air defense systems, highlighting the urgency of the current situation.
UPDATE: 11:00 AM CEST
Trump’s Iran Strategy Needs Diplomacy and Iranian People
The Trump administration’s renewed interest in negotiating with Iran might seem unexpected. After years of aggressive sanctions and maximum-pressure policies, a return to the diplomatic table appears to signal a shift. But when assessed realistically, there may be no other peaceful way to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The alternative is war, and no one should want that.
Ramesh Sepehrrad, a leading Iranian-American scholar and head of the Organization of Iranian-American Communities (OIAC), said it plainly: “Sunset clauses are a death sentence. They gave Iran a schedule to build a bomb with international approval.”
Worse, Iran never negotiated in good faith.
Sepehrrad explained, “This regime doesn’t want a deal. It wants a bomb.”
UPDATE: 9:00 AM CEST
Explosive New Intelligence Report Reveals Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program Still Active
FIRST ON FOX — A new intelligence report claims Iran is continuing with its active nuclear weapons program, which it says can be used to launch missiles over long distances. The startling intelligence gathering of Austrian officials contradicts the assessment of the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told a Senate Intelligence Committee in March that the American intelligence community “continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003.”
Austria’s version of the FBI — the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution — wrote Monday in an intelligence report, “In order to assert and enforce its regional political power ambitions, the Islamic Republic of Iran is striving for comprehensive rearmament, with nuclear weapons to make the regime immune to attack and to expand and consolidate its dominance in the Middle East and beyond.”
Iran’s Rebellious Youth Champion Bakers’ Protests, Defying Regime’s Brutal Crackdown
In May-June 2025, the clerical regime in Iran once again revealed its repressive nature in the face of legitimate protests by its citizens. The violent crackdown by security forces on hardworking bakers, who were protesting their dire economic conditions, exposed the regime’s fear of any form of dissent, even when rooted in basic livelihood demands. This brutal response, however, was met with swift and defiant actions by Iran’s Rebellious Youth, underscoring a growing, organized resistance to the regime’s tyranny.
Elina Validi, 15, Missing for Over 20 Days After Arrest with Parents
More than 20 days have passed since the arrest of 15-year-old student Elina Validi and her parents, Hamed Validi and Fatemeh. However, no information is available about the teenager’s whereabouts or condition. The family was detained without any clear legal justification, leaving their relatives in growing concern. Authorities had initially promised that Elina would be transferred to a juvenile detention facility in time to take her end-of-year exams in June. That promise has not been fulfilled, and there has been no confirmation of her presence at any youth facility.
MEK Supporters in Rostock, Germany Honor PMOI Founders, Urge End to Executions in Iran
Rostock, Germany – May 24, 2025: Supporters of the Iranian Resistance held an exhibition in Rostock to commemorate the anniversary of the execution of the PMOI/MEK’s founders by the Shah’s regime on May 25, 1972. The event also marked the 60th anniversary of the MEK’s founding in 1965 and six decades of steadfast struggle against two successive dictatorships in Iran: first the monarchy of the Shah, and now the theocratic regime of the mullahs.
MEK Supporters in Oslo, Norway Honor PMOI Founders, Urge End to Executions in Iran
Oslo, Norway – May 24, 2025: Supporters of the Iranian Resistance held a rally and exhibition in Oslo to commemorate the anniversary of the execution of the PMOI/MEK’s founders by the Shah’s regime on May 25, 1972. The event also marked the 60th anniversary of the MEK’s founding in 1965 and six decades of steadfast struggle against two successive dictatorships in Iran: first the monarchy of the Shah, and now the theocratic regime of the mullahs.
MEK Supporters in Vienna, Austria Honor PMOI Founders, Urge End to Executions in Iran
Vienna, Austria – May 24, 2025: Supporters of the Iranian Resistance held a rally and exhibition in Vienna to commemorate the anniversary of the execution of the PMOI/MEK’s founders by the Shah’s regime on May 25, 1972. The event also marked the 60th anniversary of the MEK’s founding in 1965 and six decades of steadfast struggle against two successive dictatorships in Iran: first the monarchy of the Shah, and now the theocratic regime of the mullahs.
MEK Supporters in Brussels, Belgium Honor PMOI Founders, Urge End to Executions in Iran
Brussels, Belgium – May 24, 2025: Supporters of the Iranian Resistance held a rally and exhibition in Brussels to commemorate the anniversary of the execution of the PMOI/MEK’s founders by the Shah’s regime on May 25, 1972. The event also marked the 60th anniversary of the MEK’s founding in 1965 and six decades of steadfast struggle against two successive dictatorships in Iran: first the monarchy of the Shah, and now the theocratic regime of the mullahs.
Shahriar Bayat, 65-Year-Old Political Prisoner, Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
Shahriar Bayat, a 65-year-old political prisoner and one of those arrested during Iran’s 2022 nationwide protests, has been sentenced to five years in prison and one year of unpaid forced labor at the Kahrizak care facility. This ruling was issued by Branch 13 of the Criminal Court One of Tehran Province following a retrial, after the Supreme Court overturned his previous death sentence.
Bayat, a retired civil servant residing in the city of Shahriar, was initially arrested on September 25, 2022, during the wave of protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Security forces apprehended him at his home. He was first transferred to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary and later moved to Ward 6 of Evin Prison.
Iran: Execution of Pedram Madani in Ghezel Hesar Prison
In the early hours of Wednesday, May 28, Pedram Madani, a 41-year-old prisoner, was executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. This act has sparked a wave of protests from human rights activists and his family. The judiciary of Iran’s regime carried out the execution based on vague charges and a case filled with legal flaws.
Pedram Madani was arrested in 2020 and charged with activities related to intelligence and security. According to his family and human rights defenders, the accusations were not backed by documented evidence but were instead based solely on “confessions” obtained under pressure and without access to a chosen lawyer. In a video message, his mother emphasized the illegal torture and pressure during interrogations, saying: “My son only had a court-appointed lawyer, and his case is full of ambiguity and flaws.”
Truckers’ Strike Spreads to 125 Cities Across Iran
At the end of the fifth day of the strike, the Union of Truckers and Drivers of Iran stated that there had been “an exceptional show of solidarity and unity” during the nationwide strike that has spread to 125 cities. The statement added: “With hope and unity, we welcome the sixth day, with the belief that we will continue the path until our demands are met.”
The statement continued: “Since the beginning of this path on May 22, thousands of honorable drivers and truckers have joined us. This solidarity is a great honor that reflects a shared understanding and a common aspiration for a better future.”
The union added in its statement that despite the “hardship and pressure” during the strike days, “our voice of unity has grown louder and our steps more resolute.”
Sanctions, Corruption, and Oil-for-Aircraft Deals: How Iran’s Regime Turns Crisis into Profit
On May 25, Iran regime’s state-affiliated ILNA news agency reported that the Civil Aviation Organization had purchased two Airbus A330 aircraft from China for a staggering $116 million—despite each plane being valued at less than $30 million. The deal, conducted under the guise of circumventing Western sanctions, highlights yet another case of opaque transactions and alleged profiteering by regime insiders.
This is not an isolated incident. Over the past decade, numerous reports in both Iranian and international media have exposed how Iranian regime officials and their associates have leveraged sanctions as an opportunity for personal gain.
One of the most infamous examples is Ali Shamkhani, a top advisor to the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who, along with his children, reportedly accumulated vast wealth through clandestine oil sales.
NATO Chief Warns of Iranian Regime’s Coordination with Russia, China, and North Korea in Undermining Global Security
At the Dayton Forum in the United States, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte issued a stark warning about the growing coordination between authoritarian regimes—specifically China, North Korea, and the Iranian regime—in supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. His remarks highlighted the Iranian regime’s increasingly destabilizing role, not just in the Middle East, but on the global stage. Speaking at the spring meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NPA), Rutte stressed that these four regimes—Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran—are acting in coordination, and warned Western governments against being naive about the geopolitical threat they collectively pose.
Air Pollution in Iran Linked to Over 30,000 Premature Deaths and Billions in Economic Losses
A new report by Iran regime’s Parliamentary Research Center reveals a dire public health and economic crisis stemming from air pollution. Based on data from the regime’s Ministry of Health, the report estimates that in 2023 alone, air pollution was responsible for 30,692 premature deaths across 57 Iranian cities, home to roughly 48 million people. The report warns that actual mortality figures may be even higher. Some sources have cited up to 50,000 pollution-related deaths annually, a number echoed by the regime’s Minister of Health. This staggering toll underscores the severe human cost of deteriorating air quality in Iran.