{"id":347014,"date":"2026-07-30T06:54:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T05:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=347014"},"modified":"2026-07-30T06:54:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T05:54:01","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-july-30-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-news\/iran-news-in-brief-july-30-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 July 30, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"NCRI
NCRI supporters in Paris, gathered outside the French Foreign Ministry in Paris on July 28, 2026, to protest the execution of\u00a0political prisoners in Iran<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 7:30 A<\/strong>M CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Defying Executions and Repression, PMOI Resistance Units Carry Out 60 Daring Operations Across Iran<\/h3>\n

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On July 28, PMOI Resistance Units launched a massive wave of anti-regime activities, carrying out 60 daring operations against regime centers of repression and corruption across Iran.<\/p>\n

These widespread operations directly challenge the regime\u2019s newly installed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. As the new dictator attempts to project an aura of power, stability, and unity following his rise to power, the Resistance Units have shattered this illusion. The sheer scale of these operations, which spanned major cities including Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Zahedan, demonstrates the nationwide reach, capability, and unwavering resolve of the Iranian resistance.<\/p>\n

The timing of these 60 operations is highly significant. They serve as a direct and fearless response to the regime\u2019s desperate attempts to terrorize the public and intimidate the Iranian youth from joining the ranks of the Resistance Units. Recently, the regime executed PMOI member Mehdi Khanaki in a calculated move to instill fear.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Resistance Units Honor Fallen PMOI Heroes Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani<\/h3>\n

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One year after the clerical regime executed\u00a0political prisoners Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani<\/a>\u00a0in a desperate act of terror, their legacy continues to inspire a restless population. On July 27, PMOI Resistance Units across Iran mobilized to honor these fallen heroes on the exact first anniversary of their state-sanctioned murder, proving that the regime\u2019s reliance on the gallows has failed to crush dissent.<\/p>\n

Defying the regime\u2019s brutal security apparatus, Resistance Units installed flower wreaths and bouquets prominently featuring images of Behrouz and Mehdi in public spaces across the country. These tributes carried powerful messages of resistance. In Tehran and Mashhad, activists displayed messages reading, \u201cDearest Behrouz, you remain our eternal source of pride.\u201d In Shahr-e Qods, a tribute declared, \u201cDearest Behrouz, your name and memory remain a guiding light in our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Karaj, a dedicated memorial read, \u201cDearest Mehdi, your memory will live on forever in our hearts,\u201d while a flower wreath bearing a photo of Behrouz Ehsani was placed at the Behesht-e Sakineh cemetery. Highlighting the deep connection between the martyrs and the broader movement, Resistance Units in Gonbad-e Kavus left a powerful message: \u201cThe blood of our martyrs and the suffering of our prisoners converge in you, hero Rajavi.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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State Killing in Iran: 3 Members of a Family Killed in Arbitrary Shooting<\/h3>\n

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Maryam Aslani, Somayeh Tavakkoli, and Mehdi Tavakkoli were killed in state killing, after being directly targeted in an\u00a0arbitrary shooting<\/a>\u00a0carried out by intelligence forces of the\u00a0Revolutionary Guard Corps<\/a>\u00a0(IRGC) on the Marivan-Baneh road.<\/p>\n

Maryam Aslani, her daughter Somayeh Tavakkoli, and her son Mehdi Tavakkoli were killed when IRGC intelligence forces opened direct fire on their vehicle. Mehdi Tavakkoli was a cultural and artistic activist, director of the Kurdistan Photographers House, founder of the Chaw Art Center, and a former political prisoner. The three victims were later buried in Sanandaj under heavy security measures.<\/p>\n

On the afternoon of Sunday, July 26, 2026, IRGC intelligence forces opened sustained fire on Mehdi Tavakkoli\u2019s vehicle on the road connecting\u00a0Marivan<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Baneh<\/a>, two cities in Kurdistan Province.<\/p>\n

Mehdi Tavakkoli was killed after being struck by three bullets, Maryam Aslani was killed after being hit by two bullets, and Somayeh Tavakkoli died after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.<\/p>\n

Following the shooting, the victims\u2019 bodies were transferred first to Salah al-Din Ayyubi Hospital in Baneh and were later moved to Sanandaj under the supervision of IRGC intelligence forces. Their funeral took place on Monday, July 27, 2026, at Behesht-e Mohammadi Cemetery in Sanandaj amid a heavy security presence.<\/p>\n

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

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Billions Vanish Through Iran\u2019s Sanctions-Evasion Network as Officials Admit Massive Corruption<\/h3>\n

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For years, senior Iranian regime officials dismissed international sanctions as ineffective while portraying them as an opportunity for economic resilience. At the same time, a privileged network of sanctions profiteers amassed enormous fortunes through opaque financial channels established to circumvent banking restrictions.<\/p>\n

Now, even the regime\u2019s own officials are acknowledging the staggering scale of corruption. According to recent statements by Zabihollah Khodaeian, head of the State Inspectorate Organization, at least $11 billion belonging to Iran remains in the hands of so-called \u201ctrustees\u201d\u2014intermediaries entrusted with handling overseas financial transactions\u2014and more than $1.6 billion of that amount has reportedly been misappropriated.<\/p>\n

His remarks offer one of the clearest official admissions yet that billions of dollars in national wealth have disappeared through the very networks the regime created to bypass international sanctions.<\/p>\n

As sanctions increasingly restricted the regime\u2019s access to the international banking system, the regime relied on a network of individuals and shell companies known as \u201ctrustees\u201d to conduct oil sales and move money outside formal financial channels.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Regime Expanding Execution Campaign Reaches New Level<\/h3>\n

\"On<\/p>\n

The Iranian regime publicly hanged two young protesters in Isfahan on Tuesday, marking another step in what human rights organizations describe as an accelerating campaign of executions aimed at crushing political dissent and intimidating the public.<\/p>\n

Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani, 24, and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi, 27, were executed in Alikhani Square after being convicted in connection with the January 2026 nationwide uprising. Authorities accused them of\u00a0moharebeh<\/em>\u00a0(\u201cwaging war against God\u201d), setting fire to a police station, possessing weapons and Molotov cocktails, and involvement in the deaths of four security personnel.<\/p>\n

The executions were carried out publicly despite repeated international appeals to halt them and growing warnings that dozens of other political prisoners face the same fate.<\/p>\n

The Isfahan executions are only the latest in a rapidly expanding wave of capital punishment targeting protesters and political prisoners.<\/p>\n

According to human rights organizations, hundreds of political prisoners and protesters currently face charges that carry the death penalty, while around 100 death sentences have already been issued. One of the most alarming cases involves approximately 70 prisoners in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, where dozens remain under sentence of death.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Regime Signals New Fuel Price Hike Amid Economic Crisis, Reviving Memories of 2019 Nationwide Protests<\/h3>\n

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The Iranian regime has begun publicly preparing the ground for another increase in gasoline prices, a move that recalls the 2019 fuel price hike that triggered one of the largest nationwide uprisings in the country\u2019s recent history.<\/p>\n

Speaking on July 28, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, representing the administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian, confirmed a reduction in the secondary subsidized gasoline quota from 70 liters to 50 liters per month. She also indicated that the government may raise the price of non-subsidized gasoline in the near future.<\/p>\n

Her remarks come as millions of Iranians continue to struggle with soaring inflation, declining purchasing power, and worsening living conditions.<\/p>\n

During a press conference, Mohajerani was asked about widespread reports suggesting that the government is considering increasing gasoline prices and reducing fuel quotas.<\/p>\n

She stated that no final decision had yet been announced regarding the price of gasoline purchased outside the subsidized quota, but emphasized that any future changes would be made public.<\/p>\n

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

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Reza Pahlavi\u2019s Image vs. Reality: What Reuters\u2019 Investigation Reveals About His Leadership Bid<\/h3>\n

\"Reza<\/p>\n

For years, Reza Pahlavi has presented himself as the figure best positioned to guide Iran through a democratic transition. Describing himself as neither a politician seeking office nor a claimant to power, he has instead portrayed himself as a unifying bridge capable of bringing together the country\u2019s fragmented opposition before handing Iran\u2019s future over to its people.<\/p>\n

A recent Reuters special report<\/a>, however, presents a far more complicated picture.\u00a0Based on interviews with more than 50 people, hundreds of pages of legal documents, and months of reporting across Europe and North America, Reuters examined Pahlavi\u2019s political campaign, his relationships with supporters and critics, and his efforts to establish himself as the leading alternative to the Iranian regime. Rather than reinforcing the carefully cultivated image of a disciplined democratic leader, the investigation documents repeated contradictions between Pahlavi\u2019s public claims and his political record.<\/p>\n

The report does not accuse Pahlavi of corruption or criminal conduct. Nor does it argue that he cannot play any role in Iran\u2019s future. Instead, Reuters raises a more fundamental question: whether his record supports the leadership role he increasingly claims for himself.<\/p>\n

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

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US, Saudi Arabia Strike Iran Regime-Backed Militias<\/h3>\n

\"Tehran\u2014images<\/p>\n

The U.S. military announced that U.S. and Saudi Arabian fighter jets carried out a joint operation early Wednesday, July 29, targeting positions of militias backed by the Iranian regime in Iraq. According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes were conducted in response to more than 30 drone attacks launched over the previous 72 hours against U.S. forces and Saudi Arabia\u2019s energy infrastructure.\u00a0CENTCOM said in a statement that the operation targeted terrorists aligned with Iran\u2019s regime\u2014groups that, according to the command, had been directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to attack U.S. forces and Saudi energy facilities.<\/p>\n

According to the statement, U.S. and Saudi aircraft carried out precision strikes against multiple logistics centers, weapons depots, and positions belonging to these groups in several areas of eastern Iraq. CENTCOM also emphasized that the recent attacks against U.S. forces had been unsuccessful.<\/p>\n

U.S. Central Command stated that Iran-aligned militias had attempted more than 600 attacks against American citizens and facilities between February and April 2026. The command warned that if the attacks continue, the IRGC and its proxy groups will face further military responses from the United States.<\/p>\n

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

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Paris Protest Denounces Executions of Political Prisoners in Iran<\/h3>\n

Paris, July 28, 2026\u00a0\u2014 Supporters of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK<\/span><\/a>) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI<\/span><\/a>) gathered outside the French Foreign Ministry in Paris on July 28 to protest the execution of\u00a0political prisoners and protesters\u00a0in Iran, including PMOI memeber\u00a0Mehdi Khanaki<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Paris Protest Denounces Executions of Political Prisoners in Iran \u2013 July 28, 2026 - Video 2<\/div><\/div>
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