{"id":346614,"date":"2026-07-16T07:44:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T06:44:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=346614"},"modified":"2026-07-16T07:44:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T06:44:14","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-july-16-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-july-16-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 July 16, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"NCRI\u00a0supporters
NCRI\u00a0supporters in Paris, France, set up a book stand and photo exhibition to condemn the execution of political prisoners\u2014 July 13, 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 8:0<\/strong>0 AM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

The UK\u2019s IRGC Ban and the Imperative to Recognize the Iranian People\u2019s Right to Overthrow the Regime<\/h3>\n

\"irgc<\/p>\n

On Monday, July 13, 2026, the British government\u00a0officially banned<\/a>\u00a0support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its linked groups.<\/p>\n

The UK\u2019s proscription is a highly welcomed and long-overdue step that validates the decades-long warnings of the Iranian Resistance. However, designating the IRGC must not be the end of the road. As this development proves that the regime relies entirely on state-sponsored terrorism to survive, the sole logical next step for the international community is to completely isolate the religious fascism ruling Iran and officially recognize the Iranian people\u2019s right to confront this terror apparatus and overthrow the regime.<\/p>\n

For years, Western capitals were paralyzed by a policy of willful blindness, desperate to preserve bilateral ties with Tehran. But the UK\u2019s legal pivot demonstrates that the IRGC\u2019s terrorism is an active, borderless threat that can no longer be ignored. The UK implemented new powers under the fast-tracked National Security (State Threats) Act 2026. The government and intelligence agencies acted upon deep concerns regarding foreign powers paying organized crime groups for sabotage and surveillance on British soil.<\/p>\n

The new powers close a critical gap in existing laws around state-linked actors, making it entirely illegal to show support for the IRGC.<\/p>\n

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

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Reza Pahlavi\u2019s Contradictions on the IRGC: Years of Defending the Guards, Now Applauding Their Blacklisting<\/h3>\n

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Britain\u2019s recent decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization has been welcomed by many Iranians who have long held the IRGC responsible for systematic repression, executions, torture, and regional destabilization. Yet among those expressing support for the move is Reza Pahlavi\u2014a position that stands in sharp contrast to years of public statements defending engagement with the IRGC and its personnel.<\/p>\n

For years, Reza Pahlavi repeatedly argued that members of the IRGC and the Basij should be viewed as potential allies rather than as integral components of the regime\u2019s repressive machinery. His latest endorsement of the IRGC\u2019s terrorist designation therefore appears inconsistent with his previous rhetoric.<\/p>\n

Reza Pahlavi\u2019s own public statements over the years provide a documented record of his approach toward the IRGC.\u00a0On\u00a0November 3, 2018, during an interview with Iran International, he stated: \u201cI am in contact with members of the Basij and the IRGC.\u201d<\/p>\n

He expanded on this position in\u00a02020, arguing that his political strategy relied on the very institutions responsible for enforcing the regime\u2019s rule: \u201cIf the Islamic regime wants to carry out a final crackdown in Iran, we will not allow that to happen, because my support will come from these very law enforcement forces, from these very IRGC members, from these very Revolutionary Guards, from these very Basij members, and from these very military personnel.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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Resistance Units Expand Support for Iran Prisoners\u2019 \u201cNo to Execution Tuesdays\u201d Campaign Across the Country<\/h3>\n

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Resistance Units across Iran have launched a new wave of coordinated activities in support of the prisoners\u2019 \u201cNo to Execution Tuesdays\u201d campaign, reinforcing growing public opposition to the regime\u2019s continued use of executions as a tool of repression.<\/p>\n

The coordinated actions took place as the campaign expanded to 58 prisons across Iran, reflecting the persistence of a movement led by political prisoners and supported by activists nationwide. Through banners and public displays in numerous cities, Resistance Units called for an immediate halt to executions and voiced solidarity with prisoners facing death sentences.<\/p>\n

Resistance Units carried out activities in Tehran, Karaj, Sari, Isfahan, Shiraz, Mashhad, Behbahan, Kermanshah, Naein, Babol, Gorgan, Zabol, and Birjand, where banners were displayed condemning the regime\u2019s execution policy and supporting the nationwide prison campaign.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Future Will Be Decided by Its People\u2014Not Foreign Powers<\/h3>\n

\"Iran<\/p>\n

Rarely has Iran stood at a political crossroads as consequential as the one it faces today.<\/p>\n

The balance of power surrounding the Iranian regime has shifted noticeably over recent months. Mounting international pressure, deepening internal divisions, and an increasingly fragile economy have combined to create one of the most uncertain periods in the history of the ruling establishment.<\/p>\n

Yet amid this uncertainty, one lesson has become increasingly clear: the future of Iran cannot be determined by foreign governments or military confrontation. Sustainable political change will ultimately depend on the Iranian people themselves.<\/p>\n

For years, Western governments pursued policies that alternated between engagement, economic pressure, and diplomatic negotiations with the Iranian regime. Critics argued that this approach often underestimated the regime\u2019s willingness to preserve its power through repression at home and confrontation abroad.<\/p>\n

Recent regional tensions have exposed the limitations of relying solely on external pressure to alter the regime\u2019s behavior. While military confrontations and diplomatic crises may weaken state institutions or reshape regional calculations, they do not automatically produce democratic outcomes.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Economic Collapse Is Structural\u2014Not Cyclical<\/h3>\n

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Inflation, currency collapse, and shrinking production reveal that Iran\u2019s economic crisis is rooted in the regime\u2019s political structure, not in temporary sanctions or policy mistakes.<\/p>\n

For decades, the Iranian regime has portrayed the country\u2019s recurring economic crises as the product of sanctions, external pressure, or policy missteps. Each new administration has promised better management, fresh reforms, or diplomatic breakthroughs that would restore growth and improve living standards.<\/p>\n

Yet Iran\u2019s economic trajectory tells a different story.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s economic paralysis is no longer a temporary downturn or a cyclical recession. It reflects the exhaustion of an economic model built on political repression, institutional corruption, monopolistic control, and the prioritization of regime survival over national development. The mounting evidence suggests that Iran\u2019s crisis is structural, leaving little room for meaningful recovery without fundamental political change.<\/p>\n

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

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The War Between the United States and Iran\u2019s Regime Enters More Complex Phase<\/h3>\n

\"Day<\/p>\n

As the military confrontation between the United States and the Iranian regime expands, new developments have emerged on the region\u2019s military, diplomatic, and economic fronts. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced missile and drone attacks against U.S. positions in Kuwait and Jordan, while the United States reported launching a new wave of strikes against military targets in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n

In a statement, the IRGC claimed it had targeted a range of U.S. military facilities and equipment in Kuwait, including a satellite communications center, radar and air defense systems, a Patriot missile complex, logistics warehouses, and HIMARS missile launchers with missile and drone attacks. However, the statement did not identify the base that was allegedly targeted. The IRGC also urged Kuwaiti citizens not to miss the opportunity to attack facilities affiliated with the United States.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Regime Issues Death and Prison Sentences in Cases Related to War Period and January Protests<\/h3>\n

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Tehran Prosecutor Ali Salehi announced that all cases related to the 12-day war, the recent war with the United States, and the January 2026 protests have been finalized and referred to court, with some resulting in final death and prison sentences.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Tuesday, July 14, on the sidelines of a ceremony in Tehran, Salehi said these cases had been handled on the orders of the head of Iran\u2019s judiciary and the chief justice of Tehran Province \u201cwith precision, speed, decisiveness, and severity,\u201d and that the majority had resulted in verdicts.<\/p>\n

He added that final rulings in some of these cases, including death and prison sentences, have been forwarded to the sentence enforcement authorities and that the convicted individuals are currently serving their punishments.<\/p>\n

Salehi had also announced in April the seizure of movable and immovable assets belonging to more than 250 people linked to what he called \u201ccounter-revolutionary networks,\u201d but this time he did not disclose the exact number of cases, those convicted, or the nature of the charges.<\/p>\n

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

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U.S. Defense Sec: Baghdad Must Disarm Militias Aligned with the Iranian Regime<\/h3>\n

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U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced on Tuesday, July 14, that during his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, he emphasized the need to deepen bilateral cooperation.<\/p>\n

Hegseth said Iraq must assert its sovereignty to strengthen this cooperation and disarm militias aligned with the Iranian regime, which he said were responsible for more than 600 attacks on U.S. forces this spring.<\/p>\n

The U.S. defense secretary also said Washington expects Iraq\u2019s security forces, including the Peshmerga and other security forces of the Kurdistan Region, to take the leading role in operations against ISIS as the mission of the international coalition against the group is reduced.<\/p>\n

He added that a stable Iraq could pave the way for expanded trade and defense cooperation between Baghdad and Washington.<\/p>\n

Later the same day in Washington, al-Zaidi also met and held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

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

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Evin\u2019s Political Women Prisoners Under Escalating Pressure; International Action Is Imperative<\/h3>\n

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Political women prisoners in Evin Prison are facing a new wave of organized repression, in addition to enduring the grinding, daily conditions of the ward detailed further in the text. Reports indicate that following the change in Evin Prison\u2019s management\u2014which has intensified overall pressure on political women prisoners\u2014a clandestine plot is currently underway to exile and transfer these women to the notorious Qarchak Prison in Varamin, replacing them with women convicted of financial crimes.<\/p>\n

On July 12, 2026 (21 Tir 1405), Evin Prison guards launched a sudden raid on the women\u2019s ward (Ward 6), transferring approximately 50 prisoners convicted of financial crimes from various detention centers\u2014including Qarchak Prison and several other cities\u2014into the upper floor of this ward. Simultaneously, prisoners were informed that additional groups of general-crime convicts were en route to the facility.<\/p>\n

This ward also holds women protesters detained during the nationwide uprisings of January 2026 (Dey 1404). This measure by prison authorities, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the\u00a0\u201cprinciple of separation of crimes,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0was met with fierce resistance and protests from the uprising detainees. During the confrontation, prison guards engaged in physical altercations with the political women prisoners and violently transferred two of the protesters,\u00a0Masoomeh (Mahsa) Noori and Masoomeh (Farah) Nassaji,<\/em>\u00a0to solitary confinement.<\/p>\n

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

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1,500 Death Row Prisoners on Hunger Strike in Ghezel Hesar; Call for Urgent International Action<\/h3>\n

\"Ghezel<\/p>\n

Qezel Hesar Prison, where the execution of prisoners is carried out systematically, currently holds 1,500 prisoners on death row. Faced with the rapidly accelerating rate of executions, these prisoners have found no other means to defend themselves than embarking on a protest hunger strike. Many of these prisoners, convicted of ordinary crimes, are themselves victims of poverty, corruption, flawed economic policies, and the Iranian government\u2019s allocation of public wealth to military tools to fuel its regional wars. They have been sentenced to death for transporting, smuggling, or dealing a few grams or kilograms of drugs, while the actual major drug cartel in Iran is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) itself.<\/p>\n

The protesting prisoners have declared that their hunger strike is not only to save the lives of their fellow cellmates but is a collective opposition to the policy of expanding the death penalty, particularly in drug-related cases. According to them, this punishment, rather than confronting the main smuggling networks, takes the lives of the victims of poverty and systemic deprivation.<\/p>\n

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

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Inside Iran\u2019s Post-War Power Struggle: Competing Narratives Within the Ruling Elite<\/h3>\n

\"iran<\/p>\n

Developments over the past several days in parliament, the National Security Commission, and media outlets aligned with the ruling establishment suggest that the official narrative of \u201cpost-war unity\u201d is facing intense competition over foreign policy, the limits of the government\u2019s authority, and the definition of the national interest.<\/p>\n

In less than a week, media outlets aligned with different factions of Iran\u2019s ruling establishment highlighted a series of developments that initially appeared unrelated: the removal of two hardline figures from the presidium of the National Security Commission, unprecedented attacks on the\u00a0government of Masoud Pezeshkian<\/a>, criticism of\u00a0negotiations with the United States<\/a>, calls for reforms to the country\u2019s governing structure, and renewed controversy over\u00a0Iran\u2019s nuclear program<\/a>. Taken together, these developments present a coherent picture of competition within the ruling establishment\u2014a competition over the future direction of the Islamic Republic in the post-war period.<\/p>\n

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

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PMOI Supporters in Copenhagen Welcome UK\u2019s Terrorist Designation of IRGC<\/h3>\n

Copenhagen, Denmark \u2013 July 14, 2026\u00a0\u2013 Following the UK government\u2019s decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC<\/a>) as a terrorist organization, supporters of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK<\/span><\/a>) held a rally to welcome the move.<\/p>\n

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PMOI Supporters in Copenhagen Welcome UK\u2019s Terrorist Designation of IRGC \u2013 Video 2<\/div><\/div>
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