{"id":345015,"date":"2026-05-13T07:32:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T06:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=345015"},"modified":"2026-05-13T07:32:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T06:32:58","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-may-13-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-may-13-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 May 13, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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May 9, 2026: Supporters of the Iranian Resistance in Oslo, rallied outside Norway\u2019s Parliament in Oslo to protest the execution of political prisoners in Iran<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

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

Babak Alipour\u2019s Defiance from Prison: Resistance Beyond the Gallows<\/h3>\n

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For committed political dissidents in Iran, prison has never represented surrender. For those who remain steadfast in their beliefs, incarceration becomes a space where conviction is tested, refined, and strengthened. The recent prison message delivered by Iranian political prisoner\u00a0Babak Alipour<\/span><\/span> stands as a striking example of that reality.\u00a0Recorded behind prison walls in December 2025, Alipour\u2019s statement reflects the convergence of legal awareness and revolutionary commitment. A law graduate facing execution, he speaks not with hesitation or fear, but with unwavering certainty about what he considers the only viable path for Iran\u2019s future: organized resistance against clerical dictatorship.<\/p>\n

Throughout his remarks, there is no trace of retreat or remorse. Instead, his words amount to a renewed oath to continue resisting until the overthrow of the ruling system.<\/p>\n

Born in 1991 in Amol, Babak Alipour entered political activism with an academic background in law, a discipline rooted in justice and legal legitimacy. Yet his experience inside Iran\u2019s judicial system led him to reject the very institutions claiming legal authority over his life.<\/p>\n

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

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Internal Rifts Deepen in Tehran as Regime Factions Clash Over U.S. Negotiations<\/h3>\n

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Internal divisions within Iran\u2019s regime have escalated sharply as competing factions intensify their conflict over possible negotiations with the United States. The dispute has now moved beyond political criticism into open threats, accusations of betrayal, and warnings of unrest from figures closely tied to the regime\u2019s power structure.<\/p>\n

The latest exchanges reveal growing tensions inside the Iranian regime at a time when economic pressure, regional instability, and political uncertainty continue to deepen the system\u2019s internal crisis.<\/p>\n

Mahmoud Vaezi, former chief of staff and spokesman for former regime President Hassan Rouhani\u2019s administration, publicly attacked opponents of negotiations, including hardline parliamentarian Amir Hossein Sabeti and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili.<\/p>\n

Vaezi accused anti-negotiation factions of exploiting the authority of the Supreme Leader for political purposes, arguing that if the leadership opposed talks with Washington, such opposition would be explicitly declared.<\/p>\n

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

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From \u201cMinor Despotism\u201d to Modern Iran: The Long Struggle Between Society and Absolute Power<\/h3>\n

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In Iranian political memory, the phrase \u201cMinor Despotism\u201d is not merely a historical reference to a short period during the Qajar dynasty. It has become a political metaphor \u2014 a symbol of those moments when power responds to popular demands for participation, accountability, and freedom with repression and violence.<\/p>\n

The term originally referred to the period following Iran\u2019s Constitutional Revolution in the early twentieth century, when hopes for representative government and the rule of law were abruptly crushed by authoritarian backlash. Yet the concept survived because the pattern itself never disappeared. Throughout modern Iranian history, whenever society has moved toward greater political awareness and public participation, entrenched centers of power have often treated those demands as existential threats.<\/p>\n

That historical cycle remains deeply visible in Iran today.<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s Constitutional Revolution of 1905\u20131911 marked the first major attempt to limit absolute monarchy and establish a parliament capable of representing the people. For the first time, Iranians experienced the possibility of constitutional governance and restrictions on unchecked authority.<\/p>\n

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

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SAVAK Symbols Return to Europe: What Reza Pahlavi\u2019s Silence Reveals About His Political Vision<\/h3>\n

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The recent appearance of SAVAK symbols at rallies organized by supporters of\u00a0Reza Pahlavi<\/span><\/span>\u00a0in Europe has once again exposed a central question surrounding his political project: does his movement genuinely seek a democratic future for Iran, or does it aim to rehabilitate the authoritarian legacy of the Pahlavi monarchy?<\/p>\n

That question became even more urgent after Pahlavi recently refused to explicitly condemn torture and executions carried out by SAVAK, the Shah\u2019s notorious secret police.<\/p>\n

Now, the issue has moved beyond silence.<\/p>\n

At a rally held by Pahlavi supporters in Regensburg on May 10, organizers reportedly distributed T-shirts bearing the emblem of SAVAK \u2014 the intelligence and security organization of Mohammad Reza Shah that became synonymous with torture, surveillance, political imprisonment, and the violent suppression of dissent.<\/p>\n

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

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Food Inflation and the Erosion of the Middle Class in Iran\u2019s Economy<\/h3>\n

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Iran\u2019s market no longer experiences stability. Prices are rising at a pace that wages cannot even begin to match. Food inflation has surpassed 110%, and many essential goods have multiplied in price in less than a year. Under such conditions, a collapsed economy is not merely a media expression; it is an accurate description of a reality that millions of Iranians experience every day.<\/p>\n

For years, the Iranian regime concealed the economic crisis through manipulated statistics, repetitive promises, and staged meetings, but now the gap between the official narrative and the reality of people\u2019s lives has become too deep to deny. Even media outlets close to the power structure have been forced to speak about record-high inflation and the collapse of living standards. When essential food items rise in price by 148% within a single year, the issue is no longer merely \u201chigh prices\u201d; the issue is the collapse of the ability to live.<\/p>\n

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

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Identity Melting Factory: From School Desks to Fundamentalist Barracks \u2013 Part 2<\/h3>\n

\"Iranian<\/p>\n

The Safe Schools Declaration is an international political commitment aimed at protecting students, teachers, and educational institutions from attacks and military use during conflicts.<\/p>\n

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Prohibition of Military Use: Armed forces must not use schools for military purposes, barracks, or military training centers. The establishment of \u201cPolice High Schools\u201d by a military entity (FARAJA) is a direct violation of the spirit of this protocol.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n