iran-freedom.org – The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) unveiled a joint initiative backed by over 230 cross-party members of the UK Parliament at a conference in Parliament today in support of the Iranian people’s uprising and their struggle for a free and democratic Iran. In light of the recent execution of protesters in Iran, the initiative sets out five concrete steps …

Iranwire – Mr Olympia 2022, the most prestigious bodybuilding contest, wrapped up in Las Vegas on December 18 after Iran’s Hadi Choopan was announced as the new champion. The 35-year-old Choopan took the Mr Olympia title and earned $400,000 for his win, becoming the first Iranian competitor ever to take the top prize at this event. His words after receiving …

Iranwire – A second lieutenant of Iran’s elite Islamic Republic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and three members of the paramilitary Basij force have been killed in clashes in the country’s southeast, official media report. Citing an IRGC statement, state-run Press TV said that the four security personnel died on December 19 in an exchange of fire with “counterrevolutionary elements” in the …

Iranwire- Majidreza Rahnavard, 23, was arrested on November 19 and executed 23 days later.  He was hanged from a crane in the northeastern city of Mashhad on the morning of December 12 after being convicted of waging war against God, a charge that carries a death sentence. Media outlets close to the government say that Rahnavard stabbed and killed two members …

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO)- Following the riot at Karaj Penitentiary yesterday, at least one prisoner named Mohsen Mansouri was killed by a bullet to the head, and several others injured. 17 men who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges were also transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, prisoners …

Al-Arabia – An inmate died in an Iranian prison on Saturday, state media reported, as concern mounts about the safety of prisoners arrested during anti-regime protests. A “limited scuffle” in Iran’s Central Prison of Karaj left one prisoner dead after he was pelted with stones by other prisoners, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported, citing Hossein Fazeli, the public …

Al-Arabia – Iran’s central bank governor on Saturday partly blamed recent anti-government unrest for the fall of the Iranian currency to record lows, while authorities detained a prominent actress who had voiced support for protesters.The unrest, which poses one of the biggest challenges to theocratic rule in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, also saw groups of oil workers holding …

RFL/RE – Iran is threatening to permanently block WhatsApp and Instagram, which are very popular in the country. The U.S. internet company Meta has so far not responded to the letter sent by the Iranian authorities in early December, in which they demanded that the company open a representative office in the country and adapt its guidelines to those of …

RFL/RE – Iran arrested a prominent actor on December 17 after she voiced support for the 3-month-old protest movement triggered by the death of a woman in custody, Iranian media reported. Taraneh Alidoosti, 38, was detained for “publishing false and distorted content and inciting chaos,” the Tasnim news agency reported. She is best known for her role in the Oscar-winning …

RFL/RE – Iran said on December 17 that its uranium enrichment capacity has increased to record levels, a day before UN nuclear monitors are set to visit the country. “Currently, the enrichment capacity of the country has reached more than twice the entire history of this industry,” Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said. The International …