{"id":328098,"date":"2025-01-30T07:38:58","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T06:38:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=328098"},"modified":"2025-01-30T21:15:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T20:15:00","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-january-30-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-january-30-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 January 30, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Protest in Arak, central Iran on Jan 29, 2025 – Water organization staff and retirees demand resolution for land bought 22 years ago.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS<\/h2>\n

UPDATE: 9:00 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Iran: Six Men at Risk of Execution after Grossly Unfair Trial<\/h3>\n

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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 \u201carmed rebellion against the state\u201d (baghi) and sentenced them to death following a grossly unfair trial marred by allegations of torture and other ill-treatment to extract forced \u201cconfessions\u201d.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s family were denied information about his fate and whereabouts, thereby subjecting him to enforced disappearance, a crime under international law.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 12:30 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Iran’s First Post-Suspension Flight to Europe Cancelled by France<\/h3>\n

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Iran\u2019s 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\u00a0<\/em>reported.<\/p>\n

The European Union, along with the UK, imposed\u00a0sanctions<\/a>\u00a0on 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 7:30 AM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Maryam Rajavi\u2019s Meeting with Andr\u00e9 Chassaigne, Chair of the Democratic and Republican Left Group in the French National Assembly<\/h3>\n

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On Monday, January 29,\u00a0Maryam Rajavi<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0met with Mr. Andr\u00e9 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.<\/p>\n

During the meeting, Maryam Rajavi highlighted the current state of the regime, besieged by internal and external crises. She stated, \u201cThe clerical regime, gripped by fear of a\u00a0popular uprising<\/strong>,<\/a>\u00a0has resorted to an alarming escalation of executions. A significant number of\u00a0political prisoners<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0are on death row as the regime attempts to instill fear in society. However, it cannot silence the people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Chassaigne expressed his belief that\u00a0change in Iran<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is 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.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Khamenei\u2019s Lies Can\u2019t Hide the Truth about Iran\u2019s Economic Collapse<\/h3>\n

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On January 22, Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei\u2019s website published a speech he had given to \u201cproducers and private-sector economic activists,\u201d which was both delusional and utterly grim.\u00a0He attempted to depict a fa\u00e7ade of strength and progress for his regime, but such remarks rely on deceptive strategies to deflect responsibility and project blame for the nation\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Khamenei spoke of a \u201cdiscouraging atmosphere\u201d that he claimed is being spread among youth and university students by \u201cenemies with specific motives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Trump Team Gearing Up to Confront Terrorist Iran<\/h3>\n

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Any week now, President Trump is going to approve renewed hard-line strategies against the terrorist state\u00a0Iran<\/a> after President Biden spent four years coddling the mullahs.\u00a0The president\u2019s close advisers are signaling it\u2019s get-tough time again and that\u00a0Iran\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0dictatorship is vulnerable.<\/p>\n

The historical irony is this: Mr. Biden\u2019s goodwill convinced\u00a0Iran<\/a>\u00a0that it was invincible. It\u2019s backing of Hamas\u2019 Oct. 7, 2023, Jewish carnage stirred Israel to decimate\u00a0Iran\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0two most important terrorist clients, Hamas and\u00a0Hezbollah<\/a>. Amid the\u00a0Iran<\/a>\u00a0empire debacle, anti-Syrian regime Islamists mounted offensives that ousted\u00a0Bashar Assad<\/a>, a key\u00a0Iran<\/a>\u00a0geopolitical ally.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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David Lammy Urged to Help Save Iranian Political Prisoners from Execution<\/h3>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Qezelhessar Prison, where the regime carries out its executions.<\/p>\n

The charges against them include being members of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI\/MEK) and enmity against God.<\/p>\n

In their letter to Volker T\u00fcrk, the public figures say the prisoners\u2019 transfer \u201csuggests authorities are preparing for their secret execution\u201d.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Growing Movement Against Executions in Iran<\/h3>\n

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On Tuesday, January 29, Iranians inside the country and across the globe commemorated the start of the second year of the \u201cNo to Execution Tuesdays\u201d campaign in Iran\u2019s prisons. In a speech, PMOI member Houri Saeedi said, \u201cWe stand with the prisoners who launched the \u2018No to Execution Tuesdays\u2019 campaign from Ghezel Hesar Prison exactly one year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

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: \u201cI 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\u2026 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Iranian Officials Implicated in Widespread Fuel Smuggling<\/h3>\n

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Iran\u2019s state-run newspaper\u00a0Kayhan<\/em>\u00a0has acknowledged the involvement of government officials in large-scale fuel smuggling. In an article titled\u00a0\u201cThe Central Staff of the Convention on Fuel Trafficking: The Crime of Government Officials Involved in Fuel Smuggling is Equal to Embezzlement,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Kayhan<\/em>\u00a0cites 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Iran\u2019s Leadership Crisis: Internal Struggles and Growing Fears of Regime Fragility<\/h3>\n

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The recent speech by Iran\u2019s Chief Justice, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje\u2019i, 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\u2019s survival.\u00a0One of the focal points of Mohseni-Eje\u2019i\u2019s 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:<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, 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.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Iran\u2019s Deepening Medicine Crisis: Rising Costs and Systemic Corruption<\/h3>\n

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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.\u00a0One 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, \u201cWhy should people be forced to forgo essential medicine simply because they cannot afford it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Nasrin Hassani: Conditional Release Denied for Imprisoned Journalist<\/h3>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

The consolidation of two cases against Nasrin Hassani has been delayed, with an unusually prolonged legal process.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Siyahat Shargh<\/em>\u00a0weekly and\u00a0was arrested<\/a>\u00a0by security forces in October 2022 during the nationwide protests in Iran.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Niyan Chaliyani: New Details on the Shocking Murder of a 7-Year-Old<\/h3>\n

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We had already reported that on Friday, January 17, 2025, a 7-year-old girl named Niyan Chaliyani\u00a0died in Urmia Hospital<\/a>\u00a0due to severe burns and sexual assault.<\/p>\n

On the night of Thursday, January 16, 2025, Niyan\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Iranian Workers\u2019 Wages Have Dropped by More Than 400% in Ten Years<\/h3>\n

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As news circulates regarding potential percentage increases in the minimum wage for workers covered by Iran\u2019s labor law, the state-run ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday, January 28: \u201cA more than 400% drop in workers\u2019 wages in just ten years is an unprecedented phenomenon in Iran\u2019s economic history.\u201d<\/p>\n

The news agency described this phenomenon as \u201cunprecedented and extremely distressing,\u201d stating that it has \u201cpushed workers to the depths of absolute poverty, leaving them without any means to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Iranian Regime Has Placed The \u201cNoose of Execution\u201d Around the People\u2019s Necks<\/h3>\n

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Saeed Masouri, one of Iran\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

In this letter, which Masouri states was written on the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and addressed to Volker T\u00fcrk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, he highlights how Iranians have attempted to halt the regime\u2019s execution machine through street protests, strikes, petitions, placards, and filing complaints with all possible institutions. He writes: \u201cThe government has placed the execution noose around the necks of all Iranians because it sees its survival in executing each and every citizen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more<\/a><\/p>\n

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Iranians in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver Rally Against Executions, Demand Freedom for Political Prisoners<\/h3>\n
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Iranians in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver Rally Against Executions, Demand #freepoliticalprisoners<\/div><\/div>
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