{"id":330788,"date":"2025-04-23T06:42:51","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T05:42:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=330788"},"modified":"2025-04-23T19:54:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T18:54:20","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-april-23-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-april-23-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 April 23, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Protesting workers of the Iranian Offshore Oil Company gather at the Lavan operational zone \u2013 April 22, 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 8:30 PM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Top Assad-Era Intelligence Officer in Syria Arrested for War Crimes and Hezbollah Collaboration<\/h3>\n

\"alarabiya-logo\"<\/p>\n

According to a report by Al Arabiya<\/em><\/a>, the Syrian Ministry of Interior has announced the arrest of Brigadier General Suleiman al-Tinawi, one of the most senior officers in the Assad regime\u2019s Air Force Intelligence Directorate, on charges of war crimes and active coordination with Hezbollah.\u00a0Al-Tinawi, according to a statement from Latakia\u2019s provincial security branch, was directly involved in the massacre of civilians in Jairoud in July 2016 and played a central role in facilitating military coordination between Hezbollah commanders and armed groups within Syria. Authorities described him as a key liaison and supporter of Hezbollah operations on Syrian soil<\/a>, a relationship that helped entrench the group’s influence throughout the conflict.<\/p>\n

Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and several Arab nations, has long operated as a military ally of the Assad regime, providing manpower, logistics, and battlefield leadership in Syria\u2019s civil war. Al-Tinawi\u2019s arrest represents the first high-level detainment of a regime official explicitly tied to Hezbollah coordination.<\/p>\n

The Ministry of Interior confirmed al-Tinawi has been handed over to the public prosecutor for further investigation.<\/p>\n

In a related security sweep, Syrian forces uncovered a weapons cache near Bosra al-Sham in Daraa province. The haul included mortars and heavy ammunition, believed to be remnants of pro-Assad militias resisting disarmament. Authorities say the weapons were confiscated and transferred to secure facilities.<\/p>\n

Following the December 2024 overthrow of Bashar al-Assad\u2019s regime, Syria\u2019s new government has intensified efforts to root out loyalist cells, seize unauthorized arms, and prosecute those involved in wartime atrocities. While tens of thousands have complied with disarmament efforts, some regime-affiliated groups\u2014especially those with ties to Hezbollah\u2014continue to resist, prompting ongoing arrests and security operations across the country.<\/p>\n

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UPDATE: 5:30 PM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

New Security Perimeter Around Mt. Kolang Gaz La Secret Nuclear Tunnel Complexes<\/h3>\n

\"isis<\/p>\n

New commercial satellite imagery shows the construction of a new security perimeter around the base of Mt. Kolang Gaz La, located south of the Natanz enrichment complex. The multi-peaked mountain contains a new, large, deeply buried tunnel complex and a separate, smaller one dating to 2007, neither of which has been visited by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The security perimeter encircles the base of the mountain peaks, extending all the way to the main road, joining with the one around the nearby Natanz enrichment complex (see Figure 1).<\/p>\n

The creation of a security perimeter around deeply buried sites associated with uranium enrichment suggests that Iran is increasingly worried about an individual or group seeking to enter the tunnel complexes undetected. Whether this type of protective barrier would be effective against a well-armed and resourced adversary is unclear.<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 7:30 AM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heartfelt Condolences to All Catholics Around the World on The Passing of Pope Francis<\/h3>\n

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Maryam Rajavi’s message: “I extend my heartfelt condolences to all Catholics around the world on the passing of Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church. His courageous and unforgettable efforts in promoting peace, fraternity, and in standing against injustice and discrimination will remain in the annals of history. Now more than ever, the world needs leaders who, as Christ taught, are messengers of\u00a0brotherhood, equality, peace<\/strong><\/a>, and justice \u2013 and who care for those who are \u201chungry and thirsty for righteousness\u201d and those who are \u201cpersecuted for the sake of justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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Italian Lawmakers Condemn Executions in Iran, Urge EU to Designate IRGC as Terrorist Entity<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Senator<\/p>\n

At a\u00a0conference<\/a>\u00a0held last week in the Italian Parliament with the participation of lawmakers from both houses, Emanuele Pozzolo, a member of the Italian Parliament\u2019s Foreign Affairs Committee, rejected any illusions of \u201cmoderation\u201d within the Iranian regime. Highlighting over a thousand executions during the presidency of Masoud Pezeshkian, he said: \u201cAre these [executions] the turnaround that the mullahs present to the world, expecting applause?\u201d Pozzolo emphasized the need for a firm policy towards the regime and called for Europe to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.<\/p>\n

He considered supporting the Iranian people\u2019s resistance for their freedom an essential part of a correct policy, stating: \u201cThe mullahs\u2019 regime is particularly afraid of Mrs. [Maryam] Rajavi and the PMOI and their supporters because they are the only real force with a practical plan for Iran\u2019s future. That is why we fully support Mrs. Rajavi\u2019s 10-point plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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The Enduring Shadow: Iranian Proxy Forces and the Threat to Global Security<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Irans-proxy-forces\"<\/p>\n

Ongoing discussions surrounding the Iranian nuclear program occupy a significant space in international diplomacy, and rightly so, given the potential implications of a nuclear-armed Iran. However, focusing solely on this prospect risks obscuring another critical dimension of the Iranian regime\u2019s destabilizing influence: its extensive network of proxy forces.<\/p>\n

These non-state actors, cultivated and supported by Tehran, represent a persistent and multifaceted threat to global peace and security, a danger that continues unabated and may even be exacerbated amidst the complexities of nuclear negotiations.<\/p>\n

The activities of these proxies extend far beyond the immediate region, impacting international trade, fueling conflicts, and demonstrating a disregard for sovereign borders, thereby warranting an unwavering focus irrespective of the trajectory of nuclear talks.<\/p>\n

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

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Families of Death Row Political Prisoners Protest Outside Evin Prison<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, families of political prisoners sentenced to death once again staged a\u00a0protest<\/a>\u00a0outside Tehran\u2019s Evin Prison.<\/p>\n

This ongoing weekly protest is a response to the widespread issuance of death sentences, the cutting off of telephone contact, and restrictions on the access of political prisoners to financial services.<\/p>\n

Protesters held photos of their imprisoned loved ones and placards with slogans such as \u201cNo to Execution\u201d and \u201cAbolish the Death Penalty,\u201d demanding an end to capital punishment, the restoration of prisoners\u2019 basic rights, and an immediate halt to harassment and punitive measures by prison authorities.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran: Secret Execution of Kurdish Kolbar<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, April 21, the deputy prosecutor of West Azerbaijan province informed the family of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, a Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to death, that he had been transferred to Tehran and executed earlier that same Saturday.<\/p>\n

The family of this Kurdish citizen, whose execution has been confirmed by judiciary officials but who have not yet received his body or been informed of his burial location, has been threatened with \u201cserious consequences\u201d if they inform the public about it.<\/p>\n

Osman Mozayyen, the lawyer of Mr. Hosseinnezhad, stated: \u201cNo official has yet informed the defense counsel about how or on what day Hamid Hosseinnezhad was executed.\u201d He referred to the case of Heydar Abdollahpour, another Kurdish political prisoner who was executed by firing squad in 2020, and whose death certificate was shown to his family 44 days later. He added, \u201cThis same court branch previously carried out Abdollahpour\u2019s execution and never handed over the body to the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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The Dire Condition of Female Political Prisoners in Iran Prison \u2013 Part 4<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Massoumeh Senobari is a political activist who has faced multiple arrests due to her support for the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) and her criticism of the Islamic Republic\u2019s regime.<\/p>\n