{"id":328803,"date":"2025-02-20T09:56:29","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T08:56:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=328803"},"modified":"2025-02-20T22:02:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T21:02:28","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-february-20-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-february-20-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 February 20, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

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THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS<\/h3>\n

UPDATE: 3:30 PM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Iran’s 46 Years of Environmental Degradation<\/h3>\n

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Iran\u00a0was once home to rare marshes, wetlands, and dense forests, but decades of neglect have led to the devastation of\u00a0the country\u2019s environment. Prior to the 1979 revolution, Iran\u2019s population, numbering 34 million at that time, relied on a stable water supply, sourced from millennia-old underground canals and aquifers. The Islamic revolution, hijacked by the mullahs, changed all that. The theocratic regime handed control of the nationalized water industry and indeed control over 70% of all other business, industrial and service sectors, to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and\u00a0Iran, with a population now numbering 95 million, faces an ecological disaster. The mullahs\u2019 maladministration, over almost five decades, has left\u00a0Iran struggling with deforestation, desertification, water scarcity, air pollution, and countless other\u00a0examples of environmental degradation. Climate change is exacerbating these environmental issues and turning them into a matter of life and death for the Iranian population.<\/p>\n

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

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

Shiite Radicals Have Attacked News Websites in Azerbaijan<\/h3>\n

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The websites of\u00a0Report<\/a>\u00a0Information Agency, as well as \u201cCaliber.Az<\/a>,\u201d \u201cBaku.WS<\/a>,\u201d \u201cOxu.Az,<\/a>\u201d have been subjected to a hacker attack.\u00a0It appears that the attack was carried out by the Husseiniyya Azerbaijan Islamic Resistance Movement. The organization is funded and supported by Iran.<\/p>\n

It is reported that the attack was conducted by Iranian hackers.\u00a0Following the attack, a message like this was posted on the website: \u201cPermission has been granted to fight those who have suffered oppression in battle. Indeed, Allah is capable of granting victory to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 10:30 AM CET<\/span><\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s Economy Minister Faces Impeachment as Crisis Deepens<\/h3>\n

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The impeachment of Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati has intensified the crisis within Iran\u2019s fourteenth government. In a surprise move, Masoud Pezeshkian, the regime\u2019s president, visited the Ministry of Economy and Finance to show his support for Hemmati. Meanwhile, the deputy speaker of the regime\u2019s parliament announced that the impeachment session is scheduled for\u00a0March 3, 2025.<\/p>\n

On\u00a0Wednesday, February 20, Hamidreza Haji Babaei, the deputy speaker, confirmed the receipt of the impeachment motion, stating that Hemmati must appear before parliament within 10 days to answer lawmakers\u2019 questions.<\/p>\n

Analysts trace the roots of Hemmati\u2019s impeachment to his confirmation vote, where he secured the position with the lowest possible approval. From the outset, he faced strong opposition in parliament.<\/p>\n

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

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Adelabad Prison, Shiraz: Execution of a Woman Named Bagheri Nejad<\/h3>\n

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At dawn on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, two prisoners were executed at\u00a0Adelabad Prison<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Shiraz<\/a>. One of them was a 45-year-old woman by the name of Bagheri Nejad.<\/p>\n

Ms. Bagheri Nejad had been\u00a0incarcerated<\/a>\u00a0for five years on charges of \u201cmurdering\u201d her husband, and she had been sentenced to death.<\/p>\n

As of the time of this report, the execution of these two prisoners has not been announced by official sources in Iran or domestic media outlets.<\/p>\n

The majority of women executed by the clerical regime are victims of domestic violence and discriminatory family laws. Many of them murder in self-defense. After enduring years of tumultuous marriages marked by insults, physical abuse, and, in some cases, torture at the hands of their husbands, these women often claim that had the judge granted their request for divorce, they would never have reached such a tragic outcome.<\/p>\n

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

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Lebanon Extends Flight Suspension to and from Iran Amid Security Concerns<\/h3>\n

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The Lebanese government has indefinitely extended the suspension of all incoming and outgoing flights to and from Iran, a decision made in response to a U.S. warning about potential Israeli strikes targeting these flights.<\/p>\n

On Monday, February 17, the Lebanese government announced the indefinite extension of the flight suspension, which was initially set to expire on February 18. Najat Sharaf al-Din, spokesperson for the Lebanese presidency, confirmed that the ban will remain in effect until further notice.<\/p>\n

Without specifying a timeline for lifting the restrictions, Sharaf al-Din stated:\u00a0\u201cThe Minister of Public Works and Transport has been tasked with extending the suspension of flights to and from Iran.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

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The Wave of Executions in Iran, A Clear Violation of Human Rights<\/h3>\n
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\"\"Reports from inside Iranian prisons indicate that the wave of executions in the country continues. Over the past three days, at least 12 prisoners have been executed in various prisons across Iran. This surge in executions has once again raised international concerns about human rights violations and the lack of fair trials.<\/p>\n

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At dawn on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, a prisoner named Mehdi Iranian was executed in Adel-Abad Prison, Shiraz. He had previously been arrested on murder charges and sentenced to death.<\/p>\n

Monday, February 17, 2025: Hossein Aliyari, a 31-year-old from Zanjan, was executed in Qazvin Prison. He had been arrested and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.<\/p>\n

Sunday, February 16, 2025: Sadegh Nezaket, a 33-year-old from Nishapur, was executed in Nishapur Prison. He had been arrested four years ago on murder charges.<\/p>\n

Sunday, February 16, 2025: Bahram Almasi Chaykandi, a 40-year-old married man and father of two, was executed in Tabriz Prison. He had been arrested ten years ago on murder charges.<\/p>\n

Monday, February 17, 2025: Two prisoners, Borhan Wasimollahi (32 years old, Afghan national) and Heydar Babaei (40 years old, from Dorud), were executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan. Both had been convicted of drug-related offenses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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

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PMOI Resistance Units Mark the 1979 Revolution with Anti-regime Activities<\/h3>\n

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On the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution that toppled the Shah\u2019s regime, the Resistance Units affiliated with the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK) intensified their anti-regime activities across various Iranian cities. These units are underground resistance groups operating inside Iran, organizing popular protests, countering the regime\u2019s repression, and fostering a spirit of defiance among the people.<\/p>\n

Throughout the past month, the Resistance Units carried out a series of activities, including graffiti with anti-regime slogans, distributing images of Resistance leaders, and spreading messages from Massoud Rajavi, the leader of the Iranian Resistance, through leaflets and posters. These activities were reported in multiple cities, including Tehran, Babol, Zahedan, Shiraz, and Fardis (Karaj).<\/p>\n

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

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Exhibition in Paris Highlights Iran\u2019s Human Rights Abuses and Calls for International Action<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"\"Paris, France \u2013 February 19, 2025:<\/strong>\u00a0Supporters of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK<\/a>) organized a compelling exhibition in Paris to spotlight the escalating human rights violations committed by the Iranian regime. The event also served as a powerful show of solidarity with the ongoing\u00a0Iranian Revolution<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The exhibition featured a collection of photographs and literature detailing the regime\u2019s oppressive tactics, with a significant focus on the increasing number of executions targeting political prisoners. Attendees were confronted with the harsh reality of the regime\u2019s brutality, particularly against individuals affiliated with the\u00a0PMOI<\/a>, many of whom face unjust\u00a0death sentences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Paris, February 19, 2025:MEK Supporters Exhibition Sheds Light on Human Rights Violations in Iran.<\/div><\/div>
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