2026/01/18Report: Family Paid 1 Billion Tomans to Receive Protester’s Body in Isfahan
Relatives told Radio Farda that Mohsen Rashidi was killed during protests in Isfahan on 18 Dey after being shot while trying to help an injured person. They said the bullet hit his leg and he died from bleeding , adding he might have survived if he had reached a hospital in time. Rashidi—born 11 Khordad 1362 , originally from Chaghakhor (Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari) —was a construction worker/builder with an associate degree in civil engineering and a father of three daughters . The family also alleged they were forced to pay one billion tomans to receive his body and were pressured to remain silent under monitoring. These claims have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18“City of Poets” Wins Europe’s Vimeo Short Film Prize as Sara Rajaei Salutes Iranians
Iranian filmmaker Sara Rajaei has won the European Film Academy’s European Short Film – Prix Vimeo for “City of Poets,” putting a spotlight on Iranian voices amid heightened global attention on Iran. The European Film Academy lists “City of Poets” as the 2026 winner in the Vimeo-sponsored short-film category. In remarks shared after receiving the award, Rajaei dedicated the recognition to “the brave people of Iran,” paying tribute in particular to those killed, and closing with a hope for “a free world” and “a free Iran.”
2026/01/18Ahvaz Footage Shows Continuous Gunfire as Witness Pleads: “Don’t Shoot Live Rounds”
Newly circulated videos said to be from Dey 1404 protests in Ahvaz appear to show security forces firing repeatedly toward protesters. The person filming is heard pleading multiple times, “This isn’t the right of Iranian youth—don’t shoot live rounds,” and ends by urging others, “Don’t go back—victory is near.” The exact date, location, and circumstances of the footage cannot be independently verified from the clip alone.
2026/01/18Drone Footage Shows Massive Toronto Rally Backing Iran Protests and Prince Reza Pahlavi
Iranians in Toronto, Canada , held what participants describe as one of the largest diaspora demonstrations on 27 Dey , with drone images showing a large crowd marching and chanting against the Islamic Republic and in support of Prince Reza Pahlavi . The exact turnout cannot be independently confirmed from the aerial footage alone, but the visuals indicate a significant mobilization.
2026/01/18Mourning With the Sorna: Video Honors 17-Year-Old Abolfazl Heydari
A video said to be from the mourning ceremony for Abolfazl Heydari , a 17-year-old killed during protests on 18 Dey in Qir, Fars Province , shows family and relatives playing the sorna in a symbolic tribute—an instrument often used by Qashqai communities in celebrations and weddings. IranWire, citing an informed source, reports Abolfazl was in the front line of protests on the night of 18 Dey when security forces allegedly shot him. The authenticity, timing, and circumstances described have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18Iran Internet “Not Restored”: Filterban Warns of a Government Whitelist
After signs of limited connectivity on Saturday, 27 Dey 1404 , and reports that some messages from inside Iran had reached users abroad, digital-rights platform Filterban stated that the government had not truly reopened access. Filterban warned that authorities appear to be organizing a state “whitelist” —a controlled model where only selected services and networks work while broad public access remains restricted. These claims have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18New Father Killed in Chenaran Protests, Reports Say
Reports say Ruhollah Setareh-Moshtari was killed on Wednesday, 17 Dey 1404 (Jan. 7, 2026), during protests in Chenaran, Khorasan , after being struck in the head by a live round . He was reportedly from the village of Qiasabad , had been married for one year , and had become a father just three days earlier to a baby boy named Dazhyar . These details have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18Eyewitness: “Bodies Piled on Top of Each Other” at Tehran Funeral
In an account published by IranWire, an eyewitness identified as “Kiarash” described what he says he saw at Behesht Zahra cemetery during the burial of Nasim Pouraqaei : bodies allegedly stacked together, families forced to lift and move corpses to identify loved ones, and a mother pleading for help after finding her child. Kiarash—who says he witnessed protests in Tehran and Amol —also claims that during the funeral, a security agent fired at protesters from under a chador, causing three people to fall . He described the scene as “surreal” and said he returned to Germany on Monday, 22 Dey , after traveling to Iran on 7 Dey to visit family. These details have not been independently verified and rely on IranWire’s reporting.
2026/01/18“The Darkest Days”: Milad Alavi Says a Brief Connection Broke Through Iran’s Blackout
After roughly 10 days of a near-total internet shutdown and scattered reports that a small number of people inside Iran can intermittently send messages via international connectivity, former political prisoner and journalist Milad Alavi posted from inside Iran on Saturday, 27 Dey 1404 , calling the past days “the darkest and most bitter days of Iran.” He wrote that after 10 days, one connection briefly worked , but the internet remained cut. He added that he did not know how long the outage would continue or whether he would be able to reconnect, concluding with a lament for the country. These claims have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18Report: Reza Eskandarpour Killed by Direct Fire in Tehran’s Ariashahr
Reports say Reza Eskandarpour , 37 , was killed on Thursday, 18 Dey 1404 (Jan. 8, 2026), during protests in Ariashahr, Tehran , after being hit by direct gunfire . The account says he was struck in multiple areas, including the head, heart, throat, chest, and leg , and that he was buried on Sunday, 21 Dey (Jan. 11, 2026) at Behesht Zahra cemetery. These details have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18Isfahan Night Chants: “Death to the Dictator” as Drones Hover Over Protesters
A video posted on Instagram by a person identified as having attended the Isfahan protests—and who says they recently left Iran—shows protesters chanting “Death to the dictator” on the night of 19 Dey . The clip also appears to show drones flying above the crowd, described as being used to monitor and control the gathering. The identity of the uploader (“Mr. Trr”) and the exact time/location of the footage cannot be independently verified from the video alone.
2026/01/18EU Parliament chief: IRGC terror listing would “cut cash flow” and leave “no safe haven”
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation would further undermine the group’s ability to act with impunity, disrupt its financial networks and operating methods, and send a clear signal that perpetrators of repression “will find no safe haven.” Her remarks add to growing political pressure in Europe for tougher action, though any EU-wide terrorist listing would ultimately require unanimous agreement among EU member states.
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