{"id":344699,"date":"2026-04-28T07:38:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T06:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=344699"},"modified":"2026-04-28T11:19:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T10:19:26","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-april-28-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-april-28-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 April 28, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"NCRI
NCRI supporters in Berkeley, the United States, held a rally on April 25, 2026, to condemn the recent surge in executions in Iran and support the NCRI’s provisional government<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 12:00 PM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s Unused Oil Storage Shrinks to 22 Days or Less, Kpler Says<\/h3>\n

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Iran is rapidly running out of places to store crude oil, threatening to accelerate production cuts in what was once OPEC\u2019s second-largest source, according to research firm Kpler.<\/p>\n

The Islamic Republic has enough unused storage capacity to last another 12 to 22 days, Kpler analysts wrote in a\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0Monday. That is raising the prospect that Iran may be forced to cut daily oil output by another 1.5 million barrels by mid-May, they added.<\/p>\n

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Iran already has curtailed as much as 2.5 million barrels of daily crude production, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said last week. Neighboring producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE are also among nations that have had to reduce output since the conflict erupted on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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

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UPDATE: 08:30 AM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unbroken Resolve: How Executions of PMOI Martyrs Sparked a New Wave of Defiance Across Iran<\/h3>\n

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The Iranian regime\u2019s relentless campaign of executions has failed to intimidate the nation\u2019s youth. On April 20, the religious dictatorship\u00a0hanged two members of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran<\/a>\u00a0(PMOI\/MEK), Commander Hamed Validi and Mohammad (Nima) Massoum-Shahi. With this atrocious crime, the number of PMOI members executed in just the past three weeks has risen to eight. In addition, eight other young protesters have been executed during this period, including one detainee from the recent uprisings who was killed under torture.<\/p>\n

The mullahs are actively exploiting wartime conditions to resort to relentless executions. The regime\u2019s objective in carrying out these killings is clear: to spread fear and terror among Iran\u2019s youth and prevent them from joining the ranks of the Resistance Units. However, the immediate and defiant public response from the Resistance Units proves that the regime\u2019s efforts are entirely futile.<\/p>\n

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

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Executing the Future: How the Iran Regime Uses War as a Pretext for Repression<\/h3>\n

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Look closely at the pattern. This is not an isolated sequence of judicial acts\u2014it is a coordinated policy.<\/p>\n

Within days: Amer Ramesh executed on April 26. Erfan Kiani on April 25. Hamed Validi and Mohammad Masoum-Shahi\u2014identified as members of resistance units\u2014on April 20. Before them, at least sixteen more young individuals and alleged dissidents executed in mid-April.\u00a0This is not a list. It is a roadmap. What emerges is the operational logic of the Iran regime under pressure: a system that, confronted with the specter of internal uprising, has turned to executions as an instrument of anticipatory repression. Under the shadow of war, the regime is not merely reacting\u2014it is preempting.<\/p>\n

The case of Amer Ramesh is illustrative. Born in 2004, he was arrested three years ago on charges of bomb placement and ambush against security forces. His execution now, in the midst of heightened military tensions, is not incidental timing. It reflects a deliberate convergence of wartime conditions and domestic control strategy. Similarly, Erfan Kiani was executed on charges the regime frames as \u201cleading uprisings\u201d\u2014a label that effectively criminalizes dissent itself.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran Steel Industry Reeling After War Damage and Structural Pressures<\/h3>\n

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In the aftermath of the 40-day war involving the United States, Israel, and the Iranian regime, emerging reports indicate that key segments of Iran\u2019s steel industry have sustained extensive damage. Major complexes, including Khuzestan Steel Company and Mobarakeh Steel Company in Isfahan, are said to require substantial reconstruction and infrastructure modernization.<\/p>\n

The Iran regime\u2019s Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance has stated that rebuilding damaged industries\u2014particularly steel\u2014will be guided by criteria such as water consumption. For many analysts, this signals a reduced likelihood that major facilities like Mobarakeh Steel will be reconstructed in their current locations in Iran\u2019s central plateau, a region long plagued by severe water shortages.<\/p>\n

Experts in energy and environmental policy have repeatedly warned that, given land-use constraints and the water-intensive nature of steel production, maintaining such industries in central Iran is no longer viable. Instead, they argue for a gradual relocation of steel production to coastal regions along the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Supporting this view, Iran\u2019s Planning and Budget Organization has indicated that future development of steel industries must align with regional climatic conditions and available water resources.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Medicine Crisis Deepens in the Aftermath of War and Economic Strain<\/h3>\n

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Several weeks after the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran\u2014and despite a fragile ceasefire\u2014the shortage and rising cost of medicine in Iran is no longer an isolated concern. It is rapidly evolving into a widespread humanitarian and public health crisis.\u00a0The Iran medicine crisis is the result of multiple converging pressures: disruption in supply chains following the conflict, shifts in currency policy, and mounting financial strain on both insurers and ordinary citizens. Yet beyond macroeconomic indicators and policy analysis, the crisis is most acutely reflected in the daily struggles of patients trying to access life-saving treatments.<\/p>\n

The war in the Persian Gulf severely disrupted two critical arteries of Iran\u2019s pharmaceutical supply chain: the Strait of Hormuz and regional air transport routes. According to analysis published by the Think Global Health website, trade volume through the Strait of Hormuz dropped by nearly 90 percent in the early days of the conflict, while air freight capacity across the Gulf also declined sharply. These disruptions have delayed and increased the cost of transporting not only oil and industrial goods but also medicines and pharmaceutical raw materials.<\/p>\n

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

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The Illusion of Alternatives and the Reality of Revolution in Iran<\/h3>\n

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When global powers observed that the current Iran regime had entered a phase of\u00a0weakness, the engine of \u201calternative-building\u201d was set into motion at full speed. It is a large engine\u2014but an outdated and worn one.<\/p>\n

At its\u00a0head\u00a0stands Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed Shah. He called on people in the streets not to organize or resist, but to stand behind their windows and wait for the\u00a0fall\u00a0of \u201cliberating bombs.\u201d At the same time, he repeatedly urged global powers to go to war with Iran\u2014without ever assuming responsibility for the consequences of such calls.<\/p>\n

The presence of\u00a0the people\u00a0in the January 2026 uprising, amid fire and blood, was repackaged through slogan amplification in his favor. This self-proclaimed \u201cfuture king,\u201d riding on the pain and aspirations of the people, saw narratives multiplied across social media and mass communication channels\u2014repeated, amplified, and embedded into the\u00a0minds\u00a0of those yearning for change.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Nurses Reject the Regime\u2019s \u2018Pro Internet\u2019 Plan<\/h3>\n

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At a time when public access to the internet in Iran is facing widespread restrictions, the issue of \u201cPro Internet\u201d has become a major topic of debate. This type of special access, designed for certain groups and institutions, has sparked various reactions. In this context, the Nursing Organization (a professional body representing nurses in Iran) has taken a different stance and rejected the use of this privilege.<\/p>\n

According to a report published on April 26, the Nursing Organization, which has around 300,000 members, has officially opposed Pro Internet. Ahmad Nejatian, the head of the organization, stated that nurses do not consider themselves separate from the public and do not seek special privileges.<\/p>\n

Pro Internet has been introduced as a new model of access to the global network. Rather than focusing primarily on speed, it emphasizes connection stability and less restricted access to certain international services. Access to Pro Internet is mainly designed for groups such as businesses, technology companies, and certain professional institutions.<\/p>\n

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

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Iranian Political Prisoner Naser Bakrzadeh\u2019s at Risk of Execution<\/h3>\n

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Following the confirmation of Naser Bakrzadeh\u2019s death sentence by Iran\u2019s Supreme Court, the risk of his imminent execution has significantly increased. Bakrzadeh, a political prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death twice in the same case, is now facing a death sentence for the third time. This comes amid reports from legal sources and those close to him indicating torture, forced confessions, and repeated violations of fair trial principles in his case.<\/p>\n

According to published reports, on Saturday, April 25, Naser Bakrzadeh was summoned to the sentence enforcement office of Urmia Central Prison, where the confirmation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court was officially communicated to him.<\/p>\n

The ruling was communicated to him at a time when the implementation of death sentences in political and security-related cases across the country has intensified, raising concerns about the rapid and unannounced execution of such sentences.<\/p>\n

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

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A New Wave of Mass Arrests in Iran<\/h3>\n

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Following the wave of repression after the nationwide protests of January 2026, the Iranian regime\u2019s security and judicial institutions have in recent days launched a new round of widespread arrests across the country. The detention of hundreds of citizens in various provinces, issuance of disciplinary rulings against students, confiscation of critics\u2019 property, and attribution of charges such as espionage and collaboration with the enemy to detainees indicate an intensification of the regime\u2019s security policies to control society and prevent the emergence of any new protests.<\/p>\n

Published reports indicate that in recent days, hundreds of citizens have been arrested in various parts of the country on security-related charges. In western Iran alone, at least 239 citizens have been detained in the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah under allegations of affiliation with opposition groups.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the Ministry of Intelligence and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have reported the arrest of dozens more individuals in the provinces of Ilam, Sistan and Baluchestan, Gilan, Lorestan, West Azerbaijan, Mazandaran, Tehran, and East Azerbaijan. In most cases, broad and security-related accusations such as collaboration with the enemy, espionage, links to hostile groups, or media activities against the regime have been raised, without any independent evidence being published to support these claims.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Housing Market Under the Rubble of War<\/h3>\n

\"Unconfirmed<\/p>\n

The 40-day war involving Iran\u2019s regime, the United States, and Israel led to a phenomenon analysts describe as \u201cwartime freeze.\u201d Between February 28 and mid-April, property transactions nearly dropped to zero. Field reports indicate that the average price per square meter in Tehran now fluctuates between 1.25 billion and 1.33 billion rials (approximately 800 to 850 dollars). After a 15.6% surge in January\u2013February, prices stagnated due to the shadow of war. Sellers, facing uncertainty about the future of peace, have increased asking prices by up to 10%. However, buyers have withdrawn from the market and shifted their capital into gold. In areas such as District 1 of Tehran, record prices of 5.8 billion rials (approximately 3,718 dollars) have been reported for select properties.<\/p>\n

Experts believe the housing market is currently in a state of waiting for lasting political stability. The fluctuation of the dollar around 1.6 million rials has completely disrupted developers\u2019 calculations for new projects. Year-on-year inflation in March and April reached 50.6%, a serious warning sign. This inflationary pressure has turned housing from a consumer good into a safe haven for preserving value. Without a non-aggression agreement, a short-term recovery in property transactions appears unlikely.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran Sentences Three Women to Death Over January 2026 Protests\u2014What Comes Next<\/h3>\n

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Three women are now on death row in Iran over their alleged roles in the January 2026 protests\u2014a shift that signals a sharper turn in the country\u2019s crackdown. Rights groups warn the cases could set a precedent, with executions increasingly used to deter dissent.<\/p>\n

According to multiple human rights organizations and\u00a0reports published by Hengaw<\/a>, at least three women have been sentenced to death in connection with the January 2026 nationwide protests.<\/p>\n

Among them is\u00a0Ameneh Soleimani<\/strong>, a doctor accused of treating injured protesters. Rights groups say she was charged with security-related offenses, despite her actions being described as medical assistance. Her case has drawn particular attention as an example of how even indirect support for protesters is being criminalized.<\/p>\n

Another confirmed case is\u00a0Maryam Hodavand<\/strong>, who has been sentenced to death over allegations tied to participation in protests and links to opposition activity. Human rights sources stress that her sentence has already been issued, not merely under consideration, though details of her trial remain limited and not independently verified.<\/p>\n

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

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Berkeley Rally Exposes Iran\u2019s Execution Surge, Rejects Shah and Mullahs, and Backs NCRI Alternative<\/h3>\n

Berkeley, California \u2014 April 25, 2026:<\/strong>\u00a0The\u00a0Iranian-American Community<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of Northern California gathered to highlight Iran\u2019s alarming surge in executions, especially of\u00a0PMOI<\/span><\/a>\u00a0members, along with protesters arrested during the January 2026 uprising. The regime shows what it fears most: the\u00a0MEK Resistance Units<\/a>\u00a0inside Iran resisting clerical fascism. Protesters rejected both the Shah and the mullahs and expressed full support for the\u00a0NCRI Alternative\u00a0<\/a>as the democratic path for Iran\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

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Video
Berkeley Rally Exposes Iran\u2019s Execution Surge, Rejects Shah and Mullahs, and Backs NCRI Alternative#StopExecutionsInIran<\/a> #No2ShahNo2Mullahs<\/a> #NCRIAlternative<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/fXAoViDJwg<\/a><\/p>\n

— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) April 27, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n