{"id":348053,"date":"2026-09-15T06:27:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T05:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=348053"},"modified":"2026-09-15T06:27:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T05:27:18","slug":"iran-news-in-brief-september-15-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-news-in-brief-september-15-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran News in Brief \u2013 September 15, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"On
On September 12, 2026, supporters of the Iranian Resistance and members of the Iranian community gathered in Stockholm, Sweden, to mark the fourth anniversary of Iran\u2019s nationwide uprising of 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

UPDATE: 7:00 AM CEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s Gasoline Price Hike Adds Another Shock to a Deepening Cost-Of-Living Crisis<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On September 8, Iran\u2019s regime doubled the price of gasoline<\/a> purchased beyond the monthly subsidized quota, raising the third-tier rate from 50,000 to 100,000 rials per liter. Motorists can still purchase 60 liters per month at 15,000 rials and another 50 liters at 30,000 rials.<\/p>\n

Regime officials have presented the measure as a limited adjustment aimed at heavy consumers and addressing the growing imbalance between gasoline supply and demand. But the increase comes at a time when Iranian families are already struggling with soaring food prices, declining purchasing power, a battered currency, and rapidly rising living expenses.<\/p>\n

Under such conditions, the significance of the increase goes far beyond the additional amount some motorists will pay at filling stations. Higher fuel costs risk becoming another inflationary shock that spreads through transportation, distribution, services, and ultimately household budgets.<\/p>\n

The regime argues that most motorists remain protected because the higher rate applies only after consumption exceeds 110 liters per month. The state oil distribution company said about 15% of consumers would be directly affected.<\/p>\n

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

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Smearing The PMOI With False Claims of Misusing Artificial Intelligence<\/h3>\n

\"PMOI<\/p>\n

While the destructive and fraudulent use of artificial intelligence by the clerical regime and monarchist remnants has been well-documented, the Anthropic company has claimed that the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) have engaged in deceptive influence operations on the Claude platform in violation of regulations. The PMOI and the NCRI became aware of these entirely false allegations only upon the publication of the Anthropic report, having had no prior knowledge of them. The company did not once contact the PMOI or the NCRI regarding this matter. It appears that the leveling of unilateral accusations were prioritized over an impartial investigation and the presentation of concrete evidence. Notably, Anthropic admitted its report did not \u2018show visible sign of coordination\u2019 between users and the PMOI and that it \u2018is not able to confirm the level of centralized control\u2019 by the PMOI.<\/p>\n

The PMOI and the NCRI have no knowledge of or connection to the activities described in the Anthropic report, have strictly adhered to all relevant regulations, and remain unaware of the specific activities cited in the report or the grounds for their subsequent removal. The findings of the PMOI\u2019s investigation into these allegations, as of 16:30 (Central European Time) on Sunday, September 13, 2026, are as follows:<\/p>\n

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

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Equal Participation of Women in Political Leadership: An Imperative for True Democracy<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

September 15, International Day of Democracy<\/a>, offers a vital moment to evaluate the true benchmarks of freedom, human rights, and popular governance. In any society, the ultimate measure of democracy and progress lies in the equal participation of women in politics\u2014specifically within political leadership.<\/p>\n

Five decades of struggle against religious tyranny in Iran demonstrate a clear reality: democracy can only be genuine and sustainable when women not only possess equal rights but also play a decisive role in leadership and political decision-making.<\/p>\n

Over the past five decades, Iranian women have proven to be the primary force and vanguard of change. They played a pivotal role in the 1979 Revolution<\/a>, joining demonstrations against the Shah in the millions for the first time. Yet, from the earliest days of the post-revolution era, the ruling religious dictatorship began stripping women of their fundamental freedoms under the guise of \u201ccompulsory hijab<\/a>.\u201d The regime recognized that to shackle an entire society, it first had to subdue the women who carried its most progressive demands.<\/p>\n

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

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Marziyeh Ebrahimi Faces Execution for Taking a Single Photo of a Missile Strike Site<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Marziyeh Ebrahimi (Soda), a 32-year-old woman living in Bandar Abbas and suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS), has been sentenced to execution in Bandar Abbas Prison, confiscation of all her property, and dismissal from government service on charges including \u201ccorruption on earth\u201d and \u201cintelligence and security activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ms. Ebrahimi was born in Arak and lives in Bandar Abbas<\/a>. According to the verdict issued in her case, the basis for opening the case against her was taking a photograph of the site where a missile had struck; judicial authorities have characterized the act as photographing a military site.<\/p>\n

Marziyeh Ebrahimi, also known as Soda Ebrahimi, was arrested in April 2026. Following her arrest and the opening of a case against her by the Hormozgan judicial authorities, serious security charges were brought against her.<\/p>\n

Information about the court branch that issued the verdict, the exact date of the trial, the presence of a lawyer of her own choosing, the lawyer\u2019s access to the case file, and the status of any appeal against the ruling is unavailable.<\/p>\n

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

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Imprisoned Women; From Pellets in the Head to Severe Charges Against a Teenager<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The situation of imprisoned women in Iran, ranging from keeping a detainee with three pellets remaining in her head to arresting a 16-year-old teenager on the charge of \u201cMoharebeh\u201d (waging war against God) and depriving a political prisoner of treatment for a shoulder injury, reflects their difficult and critical conditions in prison.<\/p>\n

Rezvaneh Sadeghi was arrested during the nationwide January 2026 protests. Three pellets resulting from gunfire remain in her head, and no action has been taken to remove them so far.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Rezvaneh Sadeghi\u2019s condition requires immediate specialist examination, medical imaging, and a clinical decision regarding the removal of the pellets. Yet, despite her deteriorating physical condition, she remains detained and continues to be denied adequate medical care.<\/p>\n

Narges Alishahi is held alongside Rezvaneh Sadeghi in Ward 5 of Fardis Prison. Despite the identification of her place of detention, there is no information regarding the time of her arrest, charges, physical condition, court branch, or her access to a lawyer and family.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Land Subsidence Crisis Expands Tenfold in Eight Years<\/h3>\n

\"iran<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s environmental crisis is taking an increasingly dangerous form beneath the surface. The area affected by land subsidence has expanded roughly tenfold in just eight years, according to a senior official from Iran\u2019s Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration Organization.<\/p>\n

Reza Shahbazi, deputy head of the organization, told the state-run ISNA news agency that the area affected by subsidence increased from approximately 10,000 square kilometers in the mid-2010s to around 100,000 square kilometers by 2024.<\/p>\n

More alarming, he said, is that areas previously affected by subsidence as separate and isolated patches are increasingly merging. In parts of Iran, formerly distinct subsidence zones have now formed continuous, interconnected areas.<\/p>\n

The development represents a major warning about the consequences of the country\u2019s worsening water crisis and the excessive pressure placed on underground water resources.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Economic Crisis: Even Bread and Cheese Become a Luxury for Workers<\/h3>\n

\"Retired<\/p>\n

For millions of working families in Iran, the country\u2019s economic crisis is increasingly being measured not in financial statistics but in the food they can no longer afford. A recent report by the state-run ILNA news agency warned of sharp, unofficial increases in bread prices in Tehran, noting that even the once-basic combination of bread and cheese is becoming a luxury for low-income households.<\/p>\n

The warning comes as the cost of essential goods continues to rise while wages and pensions fail to keep pace. With the Iranian regime simultaneously increasing fuel prices, workers are facing a new wave of pressure that threatens to push the cost of food and other necessities even higher.<\/p>\n

In a September 14 report, ILNA attributed the latest inflationary pressures in part to the continuing rise in foreign-exchange rates and higher energy costs. The agency warned that basic commodities are increasingly moving beyond the reach of low-income households.<\/p>\n

For working families, bread is among the most fundamental components of the household budget. Yet rising production, transportation, and energy costs are now feeding directly into its price.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran\u2019s Poverty Line Surpasses 70 Million Tomans as Workers Face Deepening Economic Crisis<\/h3>\n

\"Man<\/p>\n

The gap between income and the cost of living in Iran has reached unprecedented levels, exposing the growing economic hardship faced by millions of workers and low-income families. New figures reported by the state-run ILNA news agency reveal that the poverty line in Iran has surpassed 70 million tomans per month, while the minimum monthly income of workers, including benefits, remains below 25 million tomans.<\/p>\n

These figures underscore a stark reality: for a large portion of Iran\u2019s workforce, monthly earnings do not even cover one-third of the income required to remain above the poverty threshold.<\/p>\n

According to labor activists cited by ILNA, the actual monthly cost of living for a working-class family has reached nearly 90 million tomans. This means that workers receiving the minimum wage face a monthly deficit of approximately 65 million tomans.<\/p>\n

For many families, bridging such a gap is impossible. Workers are increasingly forced to take multiple jobs, reduce essential consumption, accumulate debt, or accept a steady decline in living standards. Even holding two or three jobs is no longer sufficient to provide a minimum standard of living.<\/p>\n

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

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Paris Rally Voices Support for Iran\u2019s Resistance and Demand an End to Executions<\/h3>\n

\"On<\/p>\n

A demonstration by supporters of the Iranian Resistance in Paris on Saturday, September 12, brought together French political figures, human-rights advocates, representatives of the Syrian-French community, and activists in solidarity with the Iranian people. Speakers focused on the continuing repression in Iran, the growing role of organized resistance inside the country, the persecution of women and political prisoners, and the urgent need to stop executions.<\/p>\n

A central message of the rally was that the Iranian people continue to resist despite the severe risks imposed by the regime.<\/p>\n

Parnian Saramad highlighted recent acts of defiance in Karaj, near Tehran, where motorcyclists reportedly raised the flags of the People\u2019s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI\/MEK). She described the act as a significant expression of courage given the potentially lethal consequences of displaying symbols associated with the organized opposition.<\/p>\n

She also pointed to the election of Mahnaz Maimant as the PMOI\u2019s Secretary-General following three rounds of voting in several European countries, presenting the development as another indication of the organization\u2019s determination to continue its struggle against Iran\u2019s ruling theocracy.<\/p>\n

Jean-Pierre Brard, former mayor of Montreuil and president of the French Committee for a Democratic Iran, emphasized the persistence of people inside Iran who continue to challenge the regime despite arrests, torture, and the threat of execution.<\/p>\n

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

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Iranian Regime Judiciary Freezes Assets of Dissidents<\/h3>\n

\"Iran<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s regime judiciary announced that in recent months, the scope of financial measures against individuals whom the government labels as \u201ctraitors,\u201d \u201ctraitors to the homeland,\u201d and \u201ccollaborators with hostile countries\u201d has increased significantly.<\/p>\n

According to a report by the state-run Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, 240 properties and assets belonging to these individuals have so far been seized by judicial order, and the bank accounts of 182 people have also been frozen.<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s regime judiciary has also announced that, to identify the defendants\u2019 assets, it has obtained more than 2,000 inquiries from the Central Bank, and that examinations of these accounts and properties are still ongoing.<\/p>\n

In Tehran alone, 143 properties and assets belonging to individuals whom the judiciary has accused of \u201cpropaganda or practical activities against the country and in favor of hostile governments\u201d have been seized.<\/p>\n

The judiciary\u2019s spokesperson said that cases have been opened against many of these individuals, and that in some cases indictments and judicial verdicts have been issued, while proceedings in other cases are continuing.<\/p>\n

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

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Iran: Escalating Rights Violations Against Political Prisoners & Urgent Call<\/h3>\n

\"Prisoners<\/p>\n

This comprehensive report, backed by documented data from seven Iranian prisons (Langarud in Qom, Urmia, Evin, Zahedan, Vakilabad in Mashhad, Fardis in Karaj, and Qarchak in Varamin), illustrates new dimensions of systematic violations of the fundamental rights of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Health and Living Conditions Crisis:<\/strong> Widespread outbreak of contagious diseases, bedbugs, and vermin infestation in Qom Prison, alongside severe reductions in food rations and strict water quotas in Zahedan Prison, directly endangering prisoners\u2019 lives.<\/li>\n
  • Clandestine Transfers and Forced Isolation:<\/strong> Opaque transfer of approximately 30 political prisoners from Tehran to Zahedan, detention in isolated cells, threats against ordinary inmates to enforce total isolation, and denial of family visitation rights.<\/li>\n
  • Denial of Medical Treatment and Compound Pressures:<\/strong> Neglect of critical medical conditions, including Rezvaneh Sadeghi (retaining three pellets in her head) and Sara Mosiqi (shoulder injury from interrogation beatings), alongside heightened restrictions on death-row prisoners such as Mohammad Javad Vafaei.<\/li>\n
  • Violations of Children\u2019s Rights:<\/strong> Detention of Diana Taherabadi, a 16-year-old juvenile, in the \u201cKindergarten\u201d ward of Fardis Prison on heavy charges of Moharebeh (enmity against God), in direct violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Conclusion:<\/strong> These actions constitute explicit violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Nelson Mandela Rules, calling upon United Nations human rights bodies to take immediate action and document these abuses.<\/p>\n

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

    \n

    As Iran Joins Oman Talks on Hormuz, Hardliners Push for NPT Exit<\/h3>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    President Masoud Pezeshkian\u2019s government sees the maritime agreement with Oman as a way to manage the Hormuz crisis, but hardline media and figures within the ruling establishment warn that the initiative could weaken one of Iran\u2019s most important sources of leverage.<\/p>\n

    The planned Oman meeting on the Strait of Hormuz has become the scene of one of the clearest divisions within Iran\u2019s ruling establishment over how to continue the war and use the strategic waterway. On one side are President Masoud Pezeshkian\u2019s government and the diplomatic apparatus<\/a>; on the other are hardline media outlets<\/a> and figures who view any easing of shipping through the strait as a retreat from a key source of pressure. The Salalah meeting, which was due to examine the framework of the Iran-Oman agreement with regional countries, was postponed in the latest development.<\/p>\n

    Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Iran and Oman reached an agreement on creating a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, and that the maps and joint statement related to it would be presented to regional countries before being submitted to the International Maritime Organization for registration. At the same time, he stressed<\/a>: \u201cThe agreement with Oman in no way means the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran\u2019s condition for reopening the Strait of Hormuz is for the United States to return to its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

    \n

    Supporters of Iranian Resistance Call on Iranians to Join Major Rallies Outside UN on September 22\u201323<\/h3>\n

    NEW YORK \u2014 The Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC<\/a>) has issued a broad call to Iranian-Americans and freedom-seeking Iranians worldwide to take part in two major rallies outside the United Nations on September 22 and 23, 2026.<\/p>\n

    \n

    4 Days Away – Starting Thursday.<\/p>\n

    Be the voice. Be the change. pic.twitter.com\/10AYq4pmL8<\/a><\/p>\n

    — OIAC: Organization of Iranian American Communities (@OrgIAC) September 13, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n