2026/02/15Pezeshkian: “Dey Events Were Unthinkably Bad” — Regime Figure Calls for “Treating the Disease” as Media Cite Rising Death Toll Claims
Masoud Pezeshkian described the Dey-month الأحداث as “ very bad ” and “ unthinkable ,” referring to the nationwide uprising against the Islamic Republic. Using medical language, he said, “we are doctors and must treat this disease ,” arguing that erasing the problem won’t solve it . He added that the government’s job is to solve people’s problems , not add to them, and warned that the public mindset has been wounded . Separately, Iran International’s editorial board said in a statement—citing what it described as new evidence and accounts—that the scale of the crackdown was worse than initial estimates , claiming more than 36,500 people were killed in targeted repression allegedly ordered by Ali Khamenei. (This figure is presented here as the outlet’s claim.)
2026/02/15MP Sparks Backlash With “My Women Won’t Ride” Remark—Calls for Three-Wheelers Instead
Iranian MP Mohammad Seraj , a member of parliament’s Social Commission , said he would not allow his daughter, wife, or sister to ride a two-wheel motorcycle , claiming women could be “harmed.” He argued that women should be “respected,” and proposed designing and producing semi-motor vehicles and three-wheel motorcycles that “stand on their own” rather than relying on balance “on women’s legs.” Seraj added that three-wheelers are “more respectful,” more stable, and “more dignified.”
2026/02/15Tehran’s New Pitch: “Make the Deal Pay”—Iran Says U.S. Must Share the Upside
Iran’s Foreign Ministry economic diplomacy deputy Hamid Qanbari said Tehran’s ongoing talks with Washington include economic “mutual interests” —from oil and gas and shared fields to mining investment and even aircraft purchases —arguing these items are now part of the negotiation text. Pointing to the previous agreement, Qanbari said a key lesson is that the U.S. did not reap direct economic benefits, and claimed that for any new deal to be durable , Washington must be able to benefit from high-return, fast-payback sectors as well.
2026/02/15X Pulls Blue Checks From Senior Iranian Officials After Sanctions Scrutiny
X has removed the blue checkmarks from the accounts of several senior Islamic Republic officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi , Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei (head of the judiciary), and Ali Larijani , according to Iranian media reports. The move follows fresh scrutiny triggered by a Tech Transparency Project report and subsequent coverage suggesting some sanctioned Iranian officials and state-linked entities had been using paid X Premium —with the blue check functioning as an indicator of an active subscription. WIRED reported that after it asked X for comment, some blue checks were removed within hours , while other accounts identified in the report still displayed blue checks.
2026/02/13Ex-Iranian Diplomat Warns: U.S. Could “Use Talks to Buy Time” for a Broader Strike
Abbas Mousavi, a former official at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said it is possible the United States could use negotiations as a pretext to buy time and prepare conditions for a wider military attack , potentially in coordination with Israel . His comments frame diplomacy as a tactical tool rather than a pathway to de-escalation.
2026/02/13Silent Champions: Khatoun Bam’s Trophy Stand Becomes a Protest Statement
Mohammad Taghavi said on Iran International’s Hattrick that Khatoun Bam women’s team paid tribute to the “fallen of Iran’s national revolution” by not celebrating during the Iranian Women’s Premier League trophy ceremony. He praised their decision to stand quiet and composed , even as the host tried to excite the players, calling their silence a source of pride. Taghavi added he believes these women—through their discipline and courage—are the kind of people who will help shape Iran’s future society .
2026/02/13Pahlavi: “Neither Gaza Nor Lebanon” Slogan Shows Iranians Reject Regime’s Regional Agenda
Reza Pahlavi said the long-running street slogan “Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon—my life for Iran” carries a clear political message: ordinary Iranians do not support the Islamic Republic’s regional policies. He argued the chant explicitly signals “not Hamas, not Hezbollah,” framing it as a public rejection of the regime’s external priorities. Pahlavi added that this reflects a deeper strand of Iranian political consciousness: separating the nation from the government —drawing a line between what people want and what the state pursues abroad.
2026/02/13Graham in Munich: “I Fully Support Regime Change in Iran” — Calls Moment a Generational Turning Point
U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said at the Munich Security Conference that he fully supports regime change in Iran , framing it as standing with the Iranian people. He cited Donald Trump’s past messaging to protesters—urging them to “ keep protesting ” and pointing to the need for “ new leadership in Iran ”—as signals of alignment with demonstrators seeking an end to repression and the start of a new chapter. Graham warned that backing away from this path could echo past U.S. foreign-policy mistakes and carry long-term consequences if promises to Iranians are not delivered. He argued that a change in Iran would weaken key regional armed groups— Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis —by cutting off their main support, potentially reshaping the regional order. He described the current moment as one of the most sensitive historical inflection points , with outcomes that could define the Middle East for generations , for better or worse.
2026/02/13Graham at Munich: “Pahlavi Could Play a Prominent Role” as He Calls This a ‘Historic Window’ for Iran
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said at the Munich Security Conference that he expects Reza Pahlavi could have a prominent role in Iran’s future. He argued the best the West can do is give Iranians a chance at freedom —and if they fail, responsibility rests with them, but he prefers that risk over the continuation of the status quo. Graham also criticized Europe and the U.S. for falling short in backing Iranians, saying broad mobilization seen on other issues has not translated into comparable support for Iran. He pointed to growing economic pressure —including constraints on Iran’s oil sales —as a factor weakening the regime, and suggested the Islamic Republic could ultimately collapse amid widespread public dissatisfaction . He framed the moment as potentially decisive in a short timeframe , warning that peace with the current Iranian leadership is as difficult as dealing with past radically ideological regimes . While acknowledging the “day after” cannot be predicted with certainty, he argued change could open a new opportunity—whereas continued status quo risks long-term regional instability .
2026/02/13“If It Were a Button, Washington Would Press It” — Sadjadpour Warns Post-Tehran Chaos Is the Real Fear
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference , Iran analyst Karim Sadjadpour said that if Washington—including Donald Trump —could remove the Islamic Republic “ at the push of a button ,” it would do so. He added that the main concern is the day-after scenario and the risk of Libya-style instability , even though Iran has important differences from those cases.
2026/02/13Pahlavi at Munich: Calls for “Humanitarian Intervention” to Prevent More Deaths in Iran
Reza Pahlavi said at the Munich Security Conference that Iranians have been clear in asking the world for support, arguing many inside the country still hold on to promises that “ support exists—hold on .” He said the most important conversation he is having is not with U.S. or European politicians , but with the people of Iran . Citing political prisoners, civil society members, and those killed in street protests, Pahlavi said Iranians are asking the international community to intervene and are seeking a humanitarian intervention aimed at preventing the loss of more innocent lives.
2026/02/13When Iran’s Internet Goes Dark, Freelancers Lose Their Lifeline
Freelancers across Iran say the January internet disruption cost them foreign contracts and slashed income, as weeks of unreliable connectivity blocked access to projects and delayed or prevented payments —deepening pressures in an economy already hit by global isolation . Iran’s internet, which had been severely restricted for around 20 days during a crackdown on protests in January, has since been reconnected but remains unstable . Access to VPNs and anti-filtering tools is also described as much harder than before. One freelance electrical engineer, speaking anonymously for security reasons, said the connection is no longer reliable enough to accept projects with confidence, while money transfers have become so complex that “the losses outweigh the gains.” The problem is compounded by U.S. sanctions , which effectively shut many Iranian freelancers out of mainstream global platforms and payment systems—pushing them toward costly, risky workarounds.
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