2026/01/18New Footage Shows Burned Rasht Bazaar After Partial Connectivity Returns
Fresh photos and videos circulating online are said to show the burned Rasht Bazaar , surrounding streets, and a fire-damaged Sepah Bank building , reportedly from 19 Dey 1404 (Jan. 9, 2026) . The material surfaced after roughly nine days of a near-total internet blackout , with some users reporting they have regained limited connectivity. Separate reports claim the Rasht Bazaar and nearby shops were set on fire on the night of 18 Dey , allegedly by security forces—footage now highlighting the scale of the damage. These details have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18France sets Feb. 26 verdict in Mahdieh Esfandiari case
A Paris court will deliver its verdict on 26 February 2026 in the case of Iranian national Mahdieh Esfandiari , who is being tried over alleged online “apologie du terrorisme” (glorification of terrorism) and related charges. French prosecutors have sought a four-year prison sentence , with three years suspended , and argued she does not need to be returned to custody given the time already spent in pre-trial detention; a permanent ban from French territory was also requested. French and international media have reported the case is being watched closely amid speculation that she could become part of a potential exchange involving French nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris held in Iran.
2026/01/18“A Shot in the Dark”: Danya Rad’s Post Captures Iran’s Struggle to Stay Connected
Amid the ongoing internet blackout, artist and civil activist Danya Rad posted on X on Saturday, 27 Dey 1404 , describing a fleeting connection through VPN testing: she wrote that messages arrived, but replies would not send , calling it “a shot in the dark… just so my friends know we’re still alive.” The account comes as Iran’s internet restrictions—reported to have intensified from the night of Thursday, 18 Dey —continue to limit independent reporting, even while some users say they have regained very limited connectivity. Meanwhile, outlets affiliated with the IRGC claim SMS is working domestically and access to the national intranet has been restored. These claims and connectivity reports have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18World Cup Exit by Design? IranWire Says Iran’s Sports Bosses Aren’t Opposed to a Suspension
IranWire reports—citing a source described as close to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) —that Iran’s Football Federation leadership and the broader sports management apparatus are not unwilling to see Iranian football suspended and the national team removed before the 2026 World Cup . No official confirmation has been issued by FIFA, the Iranian Football Federation, or the IOC, and the claim remains based on IranWire’s sourcing.
2026/01/18Isfahan “Barricades” Videos Surface as Internet Blackout Obscures Toll
New videos circulating on social media are said to show Thursday, 18 Dey 1404 (Jan. 8, 2026) across multiple areas of Isfahan , including Khaqani , where protesters appear to be building “barricades” and improvised shields to resist security forces. Reports say the crackdown on Thursday and Friday nights involved an unprecedented level of force, leaving multiple protesters killed and wounded , but the full scale remains unclear as nationwide internet access is still heavily restricted.
2026/01/18Mugham Singer Detained While Trying to Leave Iran — Report
The website “Democratic Society of Azerbaijan” reported late Friday, 26 Dey 1404 (Jan. 16, 2026), that a well-known Azerbaijani mugham folk singer from the Republic of Azerbaijan was arrested while attempting to exit Iran . The report identifies him as Ghaznfar Abbasov , saying he was detained at the airport while returning from Iran to Azerbaijan; the reason for the arrest has not been officially announced .
2026/01/18Video From Iran: Footage Said to Show Azadi St. and Towhid Square (18–19 Dey)
A Tavaana follower inside Iran says they managed, with difficulty, to send videos described as filmed during 18–19 Dey around Azadi Street and Towhid Square in Tehran. The material is being shared as part of citizen documentation amid severe connectivity restrictions; the exact location and timing cannot be independently verified from the clips alone.
2026/01/18Witness Voices Break Through Iran’s Internet Blackout
As the Islamic Republic keeps Iran’s internet disrupted and amplifies its preferred narrative through affiliated media and supporters, Iranian citizens—using limited connectivity or phone calls—continue to relay street-level accounts to prevent the truth from being buried under state misinformation. We have worked to reflect a substantial share of these testimonies, and these slides include additional reports describing alleged killings and human-rights violations; some accounts have also been published separately and independently. By documenting details of the violence and the stories of those killed, we can help counter attempts to deny or erase what happened.
2026/01/18Geneva Defection: Senior Iranian Diplomat Reportedly Seeks Asylum in Switzerland
Iran International reports that Alireza Jirani Hekmabad , a senior Islamic Republic diplomat at the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva , has left his post and applied for asylum in Switzerland , alongside his family. According to diplomatic sources cited in the report, he served as Deputy Permanent Representative with the rank of First Counsellor / Minister Plenipotentiary , and handled elements of the mission’s “economic diplomacy” portfolio. As of publication, Switzerland’s foreign ministry and the State Secretariat for Migration had not responded to requests for comment on the case. If confirmed officially, the move would be a notable signal of stress inside the regime’s diplomatic apparatus amid the ongoing unrest.
2026/01/18Parkour Champion Killed in Tehran’s Narmak, Reports Say
Reports say Mohammadreza Entezami , 29 , an athlete and parkour champion who also had ties to theatre , was killed on 18 Dey 1404 (Jan. 8, 2026) in Haft-Hoz (Narmak), Tehran , after being shot by security forces. A line from one of his Instagram posts is being shared in tribute: “Hoping for a day we can fly with our skates”—a message friends are now echoing as a metaphor for his death. These details have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18Mashhad Footballer Re-Arrested After 16:00 Home Raid
Reports say Mohammadhossein Hosseini , a 26-year-old footballer from Mashhad and a former protest detainee from 1401 (2022–23) , was arrested again at around 16:00 on Tuesday, 23 Dey 1404 (Jan. 14, 2026) after intelligence agents raided his home. The account says he has been detained six times since 1401, including a brief arrest following the seventh-day memorial for the late Khosrow Alikordi , and that friends are increasingly worried given prior cases and rulings against him. No details have been provided on the reason for arrest, the specific charges, or his current place of detention. These details have not been independently verified.
2026/01/18“A Dandelion That Walks After Death”: Babak Sadeghi Mohseni Killed in Tehranpars.
Reports say Babak Sadeghi Mohseni (born 1373 ), originally from Karaj and living in Hamedan , was killed during the 19 Dey 1404 protests in Tehranpars after being hit in the head by a live round . His body was reportedly buried on 24 Dey under heavy security with limited family attendance. His mother, Hajar Maleki , was quoted ahead of the funeral saying: “Don’t cry. Babak is a hero. Hold your heads high and say he chose this path.” Friends describe him as a long-time pro-freedom protester—injured in past uprisings—and as an outdoorsman and mountaineer who loved music and life. A line attributed to him on one photo reads: “I stare at the dandelion that sets off after death.” These details have not been independently verified.
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