{"id":342792,"date":"2026-02-20T07:49:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T06:49:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=342792"},"modified":"2026-02-20T16:46:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T15:46:01","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-february-20-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-february-20-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 February 20, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Iran nationwide uprising, January 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 04:30 PM CET<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mai Sato, UN Special Rapporteur on Iran: \u2018Military Action Is Not a Magic Solution\u2019<\/h3>\n

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Mai Sato, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, speaks in the present tense about the repression against the\u00a0recent demonstrations against the Islamic Republic<\/a>. The reason, the Tokyo-born sociologist explains, is that arrests, the presence of security forces in the streets, and the searching of bystanders\u2019 cell phones \u201care still happening,\u201d a month after those\u00a0demonstrations were brutally suppressed<\/a>\u00a0and thousands died in the streets.<\/p>\n

In a video call on February 17 from London, Sato, who is also the director of the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research at Birkbeck, University of London, states her belief that the regime\u2019s violence has been unprecedented more for its massive scale than for the oppression itself, which has been in place for decades.<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 01:30 PM CET<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three Silicon Valley Engineers Charged with Stealing Google Trade Secrets and Sending Data to Iran<\/h3>\n

\"CNBC<\/p>\n

A federal grand jury indicted three Silicon Valley engineers on charges of stealing trade secrets from Google and other technology companies and transferring sensitive data to Iran, prosecutors said Thursday.<\/p>\n

Samaneh Ghandali, 41, her sister Soroor Ghandali, 32, and Mohammadjavad Khosravi, 40 \u2014 all residents of San Jose \u2014 were arrested Thursday and appeared in a federal district court the same day.<\/p>\n

The indictment identified the defendants as Iranian nationals. Soroor was in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant student visa. Samaneh later became a U.S. citizen, and Khosravi, her husband, became a U.S. legal permanent resident. Prosecutors said that Khosravi previously served in the Iranian army.<\/p>\n

The trio faces charges of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, and obstruction of justice, according to the U.S. attorney\u2019s office for the Northern District of California.<\/p>\n

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

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Denmark Detains Boxship Linked to Iran Questioning Registration<\/h3>\n

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The Danish Maritime Authority confirmed to local media that it has placed a detention order on a shadowy containership until the vessel can prove its registry and certifications. The vessel was sanctioned in July 2025 by the United States as part of a network including more than 50 vessels that the U.S. said were part of the vast shipping empire controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of Ali Shamkhani, a top political advisor to the Supreme Leader of Iran.<\/p>\n

When the U.S. sanctioned the vessel, which at that point was identified as\u00a0Cerus<\/em>, the report said it was registered in St. Kitts and Nevis. In October 2025, the ship changed names to\u00a0Nora\u00a0<\/em>and falsely claimed it was registered in Aruba and two months later in Comoros.<\/p>\n

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

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UNICEF Calls for The Release of All Children Arrested In the Latest Public Unrest in Iran<\/h3>\n

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AMMAN, 19 February 2026 \u2013<\/strong> \u201cUNICEF is deeply concerned by the reports that children arrested in connection with the recent public unrest in Iran remain in detention.\u00a0\u201cWhile the number of children currently detained, or the conditions of their detention cannot be verified, we urge that immediate, independent access be granted to all detained children to assess their situation, treatment, and well-being.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe adverse impact of detention and incarceration on children is well documented. Children are not \u2018little adults,\u2019 they require special care. Deprivation of liberty entails life lasting consequences to the development of the child, but also for the future of the society overall.<\/p>\n

\u201cChildren deprived of their liberty must be treated with humanity and dignity and enabled to maintain regular contact with their families. These are binding obligations under international law and must be upheld at all times.<\/p>\n

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

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Son of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Khamenei Apparently Planned Multi-Million-Euro Deal in Vienna<\/h3>\n

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A higher position of power within Iran\u2019s regime is hard to imagine. Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is not only one of the four sons of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; he is also considered the family\u2019s business and political mastermind. Mojtaba is said to be the favorite of his 86-year-old father and a possible successor.<\/p>\n

That, of course, only applies if the regime does not fall: just now, the notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly crushed a popular uprising with force, leaving thousands dead. Iran\u2019s economy has collapsed, and fears of a U.S. military strike are spreading. Ali, the father, is reportedly hiding in bunkers.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Diplomatic Window Is Closing, UN Atomic Watchdog Says<\/h3>\n

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

The US military build-up in the Middle East means Iran\u2019s window to reach a diplomatic agreement over its atomic activities is at risk of closing, according to the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog.<\/p>\n

The International Atomic Energy Agency has discussed concrete proposals with Iranian Foreign Minister\u00a0Abbas Araghchi\u00a0to inspect sites bombed last year by Israel and the US, Director General\u00a0Rafael Mariano Grossi\u00a0told Bloomberg Television on Thursday. Whether those plans can be finalized urgently is an open question.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran Rebuilding Nuclear Program Despite Trump Talks, Opposition Figure Claims<\/h3>\n

\"Fox-News\"<\/p>\n

Iran is rebuilding nuclear sites damaged in previous U.S. strikes and “preparing for war,” despite engaging in talks with the Trump administration, according to a prominent Iranian opposition figure.<\/p>\n

Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the Washington office of the\u00a0National Council of Resistance of Iran<\/a>\u00a0(NCRI), said newly released satellite images also prove the regime has accelerated its efforts to restore its “$2 trillion” uranium enrichment capabilities.<\/p>\n

“The regime has clearly stepped up efforts to rebuild its uranium enrichment capabilities,” Jafarzadeh told Fox News Digital. “It is preparing itself for a possible war by trying to preserve its nuclear weapons program and ensure its protection.”<\/p>\n

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

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UPDATE: 08:00 AM CET<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tehran Officials Admit To \u2018Coup De Gr\u00e2ce\u2019 Executions as Regime Trembles Before Public Defiance<\/h3>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

In a shocking admission that confirms long-standing accusations by the Iranian Resistance, a senior official of Iran\u2019s regime has publicly acknowledged that security forces executed wounded protesters during the nationwide uprising of January 2026. The revelation comes as the regime struggles to contain a volatile society that has shifted from economic grievances to open calls for regime change. On February 19, Javad Tajik, the CEO of the Behesht Zahra Organization (Tehran\u2019s main cemetery), held a press conference where he confirmed the \u201ccoup de gr\u00e2ce\u201d\u2014the practice of delivering a final, fatal shot to the wounded\u2014was widely used during the suppression of the January protests.<\/p>\n

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

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Fortieth Day Commemorations of the Uprising\u2019s Fallen Turn into Protest with Anti-Government Slogans<\/h3>\n

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Fortieth day commemorations of uprising victims was held on February 16 and 17 with large memorial ceremonies and protest gatherings across multiple cities. Far from being solely acts of mourning, these events evolved into powerful displays of sustained public anger and political defiance. Notably, women played a leading and highly visible role throughout. In numerous cities, women stood at the front lines, organizing gatherings, and leading chants. Their prominent presence once again underscored the decisive role women continue to play in preserving the memory of those killed and in sustaining the momentum of dissent.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran: Lethal Suppression of the January 2026 Protests in Kermanshah<\/h3>\n

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In Kermanshah province, the highest number of confirmed fatalities occurred within two days: 8 and 9 January 2026, corresponding to 18 and 19 Dey 1404. Within less than 48 hours, simultaneous reports of direct gunfire emerged from multiple neighborhoods across the city. Shahrak-e Moallem, Dareh Derazh, Sabouni, Taq-e Bostan Boulevard, Dowlatabad, Jafarabad, and Elahiyeh were among the areas where live ammunition was reportedly fired at protesters. The concentration of deaths within such a short time frame and across multiple locations indicates coordinated and simultaneous use of lethal force at the city level, rather than an isolated or sporadic confrontation.<\/p>\n

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

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Executions in Iran \u2014 Coincidence or Crackdown?<\/h3>\n

\"Executions<\/p>\n

As Iran enters early February, human rights organizations report a dramatic surge in executions \u2014 a spike that comes just weeks after nationwide protests erupted in January and were met with a bloody crackdown. The timing has prompted renewed debate over whether the rise in executions reflects routine judicial enforcement or a broader effort to reassert state control during a period of unrest. According to Iranian human rights organizations, more than 1,100 executions were recorded over a recent three-month period, marking one of the highest quarterly figures in recent years. In a separate report, at least 58 prisoners were executed within just a few days, between Saturday and Tuesday of the same week.<\/p>\n

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

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Manchester Event Honors Iran Uprising Martyrs, Rejects Monarchical and Clerical Dictatorship<\/h3>\n

On February 17, 2026, members of the Academics in Exile Association in the UK, supporters of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK), held a book display and photo exhibition in Manchester to express solidarity with the nationwide uprising in Iran.<\/p>\n

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Manchester Event Honors #IranUprising<\/a> Martyrs, Rejects Monarchical and Clerical Dictatorship #No2ShahNo2Mullahs<\/a> #FreeIran<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/RbRj62MGtc<\/a><\/p>\n

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) February 19, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n