{"id":345379,"date":"2026-05-28T07:34:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T06:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=345379"},"modified":"2026-05-28T07:34:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T06:34:36","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-may-28-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-may-28-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 May 28, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

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May 26, 2026 \u2013 Supporters of the NCRI held an exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland, to protest the execution of PMOI political prisoners<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 8:00 AM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Deepening Infighting Over Iran\u2019s Internet Shutdown Exposes a Regime Terrified of the People<\/h3>\n

\"AI-generated<\/p>\n

After 88 days of an unprecedented nationwide internet blackout, the Iranian regime is facing escalating internal chaos over whether to restore connectivity. The near-total shutdown, which lasted for over 2,093 hours, began following the start of the recent conflict on February 28, 2026.<\/p>\n

According to NetBlocks, this blackout surpassed all previous instances in Iran and globally in both duration and severity. As the regime cautiously attempts to ease this digital dark age, severe factional warfare has erupted.<\/p>\n

On May 26, the spokesperson for Masoud Pezeshkian\u2019s government announced on state television that the president had issued a directive to return internet access to the conditions prior to the nationwide uprisings of December 2025\u2013January 2026. The decision was reportedly finalized by a newly formed \u201cSpecial Headquarters for Organizing and Steering Cyberspace,\u201d chaired by Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref. However, the regime\u2019s fractured state was immediately exposed.<\/p>\n

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

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Iranian Regime Hands Heavy Prison Sentences to Activists as Domestic Crackdown Escalates<\/h3>\n

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In its continuous campaign to stifle dissent, the Iranian regime\u2019s judiciary has sentenced political prisoner Bijan Kazemi to a total of\u00a037 years and 6 months in prison<\/a>. Presided over by the notorious judge Abolqasem Salavati in Branch 15 of Tehran\u2019s Revolutionary Court, the ruling follows 16 months of arbitrary detention, interrogation, and severe torture. This severe punishment, alongside the systematic targeting of other activists, highlights the regime\u2019s growing reliance on judicial repression to maintain its grip on power.<\/p>\n

Kazemi, 45, was arrested by intelligence agents in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province, on January 21, 2025. Following his arrest, he was held in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, transferred to Fashafouyeh Prison in July 2025, and later returned to Evin in October 2025.<\/p>\n

Interrogators accused Kazemi of providing weapons to the assailant of\u00a0Ali Razini and Mohammad Moghiseh<\/a>, two senior judiciary executioners who were eliminated in mid-January 2025. Razini and Moghiseh were involved in the execution of thousands of dissidents.<\/p>\n

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

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Resistance Units Expand Anti-Execution Campaign Across Iranian Cities<\/h3>\n

\"Chabahar,<\/p>\n

On May 26, 2026, Resistance Units across multiple Iranian cities carried out a coordinated wave of political and protest activities in response to the regime\u2019s ongoing executions and intensifying repression. The campaign coincided with the anniversary of the execution of the founders of the\u00a0People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran<\/span><\/span> (PMOI\/MEK) and emphasized continuity between generations of resistance confronting religious dictatorship in Iran.<\/p>\n

Through photo campaigns, banners, and poster installations, activists highlighted themes of perseverance, sacrifice, and defiance against state repression. Many of the slogans referenced loyalty to the ideals of freedom and the continuation of resistance despite arrests, executions, and intimidation.<\/p>\n

One of the central slogans repeated across several cities declared:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe battle for freedom from the chains of oppressors continues.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Another widely displayed message stated:<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the red blood of our comrades shall rise thousands of storms; the Resistance Units will stand until the end.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Water Crisis: Decades of Mismanagement Now Threaten Millions<\/h3>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s deepening water crisis is no longer a distant environmental warning. It has become an immediate threat to public health, food security, economic stability, and the survival of millions living in the country\u2019s largest urban centers. Yet despite years of escalating alarms, the ruling establishment continues to respond with denial, deflection, and demands for public \u201csacrifice\u201d rather than meaningful structural reform.<\/p>\n

Recent statements by officials from Iran\u2019s meteorological and water management agencies reveal the scale of the crisis now unfolding across the country. Authorities have warned of severe water stress in Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Saveh, and Arak, while official figures show that one-third of the country\u2019s dam reservoir capacity remains empty despite increased rainfall in parts of Iran.<\/p>\n

The contradiction itself is telling.<\/p>\n

Although regime officials claim national rainfall averages have approached or even slightly exceeded long-term norms this year, uneven distribution, infrastructure failures, environmental degradation, and chronic mismanagement have left vast areas of the country dangerously vulnerable. The crisis is no longer simply about rainfall. It is about governance.<\/p>\n

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

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Iranian Women, Imprisoned Behind Bars, Confined After Release<\/h3>\n

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On the International Day of Action for Women\u2019s Health, observed annually on May 28, this report highlights a less visible dimension of women\u2019s rights violations in Iran; women whose health and access to medical care have become instruments of repression and punishment.<\/p>\n

In recent years, numerous reports from Evin Prison, Qarchak Prison in Varamin, Lakan Prison in Rasht, Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, and other detention centers have revealed a systematic pattern of medical neglect, delayed hospital transfers, psychological pressure, repeated arrests, and intimidation of prisoners\u2019 families targeting women prisoners, protesters, and civil activists.<\/p>\n

For many female prisoners in Iran, the body itself has become a site of punishment.<\/p>\n

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

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Zurich Exhibition Condemns Executions, Calls for Massive June 20 Rally<\/h3>\n

Zurich, Switzerland \u2013 May 26, 2026 \u2013<\/strong>\u00a0Supporters of the\u00a0People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran<\/span><\/span>\u00a0(PMOI\/MEK<\/span><\/a>) held an exhibition in Zurich to protest the execution of PMOI political prisoners<\/strong>, along with\u00a0protesters arrested in January 2026<\/strong>. The event also voiced support for the \u201cNo to Execution<\/a>\u201d campaign.<\/p>\n

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Zurich Exhibition Condemns Executions, Calls for Massive June 20 Rally - May 26, 2026 - Video 3<\/div><\/div>
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