2026/01/16Wounded Protester’s Final Call: Family Reached the Scene, but Ahmed Abbasi Died as His Mother Held His Body Overnight
After being wounded, Ahmed Abbasi reportedly made it to an alley, handed his phone to a passerby, and asked them to “call the last person on the contacts list.” By the time his family arrived on Pirouzi Street, he had died. Amid what was described as severe security conditions and the absence of an ambulance, his mother held his body in her arms through the night until morning to prevent security forces from taking it away.
2026/01/16Ted Cruz Thanks Iranian Protesters, Says Trump “Has Your Back” as Diplomacy Speculation Grows
U.S. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, in a video posted to his X account, thanked Iranian protesters for their courage and said the Iranian people are standing for freedom against “ayatollahs and mullahs.” Cruz said the United States stands with their struggle and that “President Trump has your back,” adding that “these tyrants will fall” because of protesters’ “incredible bravery.” The remarks come amid growing speculation about possible U.S.–Iran talks after President Trump said he had been told from inside Iran that killings had stopped and executions would not take place, even as U.S. officials continue to insist Trump has not abandoned support for Iranian protesters and that “all options are on the table.”
2026/01/16Comedian Max Amini Condemns Iran Crackdown, Urges Global Support for Protesters
Iranian-American stand-up comedian Max Amini, in a video from one of his shows, said the world is in a “crazy time” and needs unity, while accusing Iran’s regime of committing “one of the biggest crimes.” He claimed authorities cut internet, electricity, and water in recent days, then opened fire and killed more than 12,000 protesters in Iran’s streets. Amini said Iranians are demanding human rights and urged world leaders and governments to support them, arguing the benefits extend beyond Iran; he added that regime change in Iran would bring global peace and said he hopes President Donald Trump follows through on earlier remarks about backing Iranians and delivering a “hard blow” if protesters are killed.
2026/01/16Prince Reza Pahlavi: My Role Is to Lead the Transition—Keep the State Running From Day One
Speaking at a press conference in Washington on Friday, 26 Dey 1404 (Jan. 16, 2026), Prince Reza Pahlavi said the post–Islamic Republic system would determine how executive leadership is chosen—if Iran becomes a republic, a president would be elected; if it becomes a monarchy, a prime minister would be chosen. He said his role is to lead the transition by bringing all components together and ensuring basic governance functions continue from the first day—“trash must be collected, trains must run on time, essential services must be provided.” He added that the aim at this stage is maximum participation and the fastest possible transition.
2026/01/16Prince Reza Pahlavi Tells The Economist He’s Ready to Take Transitional Authority as a “Neutral Arbiter”
Prince Reza Pahlavi said in an interview with The Economist that he is ready to assume real authority during a transition period, arguing the phase requires a trusted “neutral arbiter.” He outlined two core principles—Iran’s territorial integrity and a clear separation of religion and state—and described the role as a voluntary step taken at the public’s request rather than through an interim government election, saying people need someone they can trust, “and at this moment, that person is me.”
2026/01/16Cassidy: Khamenei Cut the Internet to Kill Iranians “Without Witnesses”
U.S. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy wrote on X that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei shut down the internet so the regime could kill its own people “without witnesses.” He called Iran’s leadership “pure evil.”
2026/01/16IranWire: 17-Year-Old Mehrab Golestani Killed by Live Fire in Isfahan; Family Told to Bury “in Silence”
IranWire reported that Mehrab Golestani, a 17-year-old, was killed by live ammunition during protests in Isfahan on Friday, 19 Dey 1404 (Jan. 9, 2026). Golestani’s family—originally from Kerman and living in Isfahan—was reportedly forced to wait six days before receiving his body, and was required to sign a pledge to hold a “silent burial.” He was buried on Thursday, 25 Dey (Jan. 15, 2026), according to the report.
2026/01/16Ex-President Khatami Calls Protests a “U.S.-Israel Plot,” Praises Pezeshkian’s Early Response as “Civic”
Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami, a leading reformist figure, said in a statement released Friday, 26 Dey (Jan. 16, 2026) that the recent protests are a “plot by Israel and the United States,” and described the Masoud Pezeshkian government’s actions in the early days of the unrest as “civic conduct.” The remarks come as multiple reports from inside Iran have described security forces using live fire against protesters from the outset, with fatalities reported across several cities.
2026/01/16Report: Former Political Prisoner Mohsen Hajimohammadi Arrested in Tehran Workplace Raid
The “Professional Challenge of Iran’s Teachers” channel, which tracks arrests and the suppression of teachers’ labor rights in Iran, reported that Mohsen Hajimohammadi—a political activist and former political prisoner—was arrested on Friday, 26 Dey 1404 (Jan. 16, 2026). The outlet said security forces raided the workshop where he worked in Tehran and detained him.
2026/01/16Iranian Director Mohammad Rasoulof Condemns World’s Silence on Iran Protest Crackdown
Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof criticized what he described as global inaction over the suppression of protests in Iran, saying Iranians took to the streets “empty-handed” for freedom, were met with repression and gunfire, and “the world only watched.”
2026/01/16Iranian Artists and Activists Issue Urgent Warning Over Protest Killings and Execution Risk for Detainees
In an urgent statement, a group of Iranian artists, writers, and cultural activists warned of widespread killings during the Dey 1404 uprising and a serious risk that detained protesters could face execution. Condemning what they described as violent repression and the use of lethal force against civilians, the signatories said independent sources report thousands have been killed, with many more wounded or arrested. They said mass arrests have disproportionately targeted young people and raised acute concerns over detainees’ conditions, access to due process, and the likelihood of charges such as moharebeh (waging war against God), terrorism, or espionage—accusations that can carry the death penalty under Iranian law. Citing recent judicial threats and a record of extrajudicial practices, the statement warned of an elevated risk of rushed, severe sentences—including executions—while describing the killing of unarmed protesters, unlawful detentions, and an atmosphere of intimidation as “systematic violence” and clear violations of core human rights, including the right to life, free expression, and peaceful protest. The signatories warned that global silence and inaction could lead to an irreversible catastrophe, urging governments, human-rights bodies, international organizations, and independent media to respond urgently and help protect thousands of detainees said to be at grave risk.
2026/01/16Prince Reza Pahlavi: A Future Constitution Must Safeguard Human and Civil Rights
Prince Reza Pahlavi said durable unity among opponents of the Islamic Republic depends on guarantees embedded in a new constitution that protects human rights and full citizenship rights. He argued that such a constitutional framework would restore these protections and enable all people to live in a unified country with complete freedom and equal citizenship.
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