2026/02/0830,000 in Irvine: Orange County Iran Rally Draws Massive Crowd
Orange County police said more than 30,000 Iranians joined a protest rally and march in Irvine, Southern California , on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026 (18 Bahman) , in a demonstration against the Islamic Republic . Footage and on-the-ground reporting described crowds carrying lion-and-sun flags —a symbol widely used by Iran’s opposition and diaspora—turning the Irvine gathering into one of the largest Iran-related demonstrations reported in the region in recent weeks.
2026/02/08Crackdown Widens: Fourth “Statement of 17” Signatory Reportedly Arrested
Iranian activist Ghorban Behzadian-Nejad —described as a former adviser to Mir-Hossein Mousavi —has been arrested , according to posts by legal scholar Ardeshir Amir-Arjomand and rights monitors. Amir-Arjomand said authorities are willing to negotiate with an “external enemy” while refusing to tolerate patriotic domestic critics, adding that Behzadian-Nejad is the fourth signatory of the “Statement of 17” taken into custody in recent days. Those previously reported arrested include Vida Rabbani , Abdollah Momeni , and Mehdi Mahmoudian .
2026/02/08Tehran: Woman Arrested in Mid-January Still Held in Evin’s Ward 209
Reports say Frank Hajarizadeh (30) —an environmental health specialist and German-language instructor —remains in detention in Tehran after being arrested on 18 Dey on Kashani Street . According to the information received, she was transferred to Evin Prison and is currently being held in Ward 209 , a detention wing linked to Iran’s security apparatus.
2026/02/08“Unfinished Mourning”: Mothers Search Protest Footage for Missing Loved Ones
Iranian journalist and media activist Vahid Online highlighted a haunting reality in a post shared widely on social media: mothers and families scrolling through vast archives of protest photos and videos , either trying to identify missing relatives or to find the final words and last moments of children who were killed. He described messages from mothers pleading for the original sender of a video showing their loved one’s body, only so they can learn what happened in the final minutes and who was there.
2026/02/07Abdulhamid: “Revolution Was National—But Its Promises Were Not Delivered”
Speaking at Zahedan Friday prayers on 17 Bahman , Sunni cleric Molavi Abdulhamid said the 1979 revolution’s core goal was justice, equal rights, and a better life , but argued many of its promises were never realized. He described the revolution as fundamentally “national,” stressing that Iranians of different ethnicities and faiths stood together. Abdulhamid blamed part of today’s crises on the constitutional process , saying the emphasis on an official religion institutionalized discrimination and that some constitutional clauses were designed for regime survival , which he said do not align with Islam or international standards—fueling renewed debate over constitutional change . He also criticized the securitization of the country and the expanding role of military institutions in politics and the economy , arguing that policy should be shaped by politicians, not commanders. On the Dey protests , he called the events “deeply heartbreaking,” said the killing of protesters is unjustifiable, and warned that no one has a valid excuse before God for the bloodshed. He urged authorities to listen to critics, not only supporters , and concluded that a religious/ethnic lens cannot govern a diverse Iran—only an inclusive “national” approach can.
2026/02/07Iran: 12+ Days With No Word on Detained IT Activists
Rights monitors and tech-focused outlets report that Saeed Soozangar , an internet and digital-rights activist, has been held for more than 12 days, with limited information released about his condition or whereabouts. Reported charges include “propaganda against the system” and “gathering and collusion against national security,” while supporters note his public work has included efforts to identify and report online child exploitation networks and expose internet fraud schemes. In a related case, Amirhossein (Iman) Seyrafi , a digital security specialist and former political prisoner, was reportedly arrested outside his home in Tehran on 6 Bahman 1404 (Jan 26, 2026) ; as of the latest reports, no official explanation has been provided, and relatives say they remain in the dark.
2026/02/07Urmia Court Reissues Death Sentence After Two Supreme Court Reversals
Iranian human-rights outlets report that Naser Bekrzadeh , a 26-year-old political prisoner held in Urmia Central Prison , has been sentenced to death for a third time by Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia , presided over by Judge Shahini . The verdict was reportedly communicated to his lawyer on Tuesday, Bahman 14, 1404 (Feb. 3, 2026), on charges of “espionage for Israel.” The same sources say Bekrzadeh had previously received two death sentences—both later overturned by Iran’s Supreme Court and sent back for retrial—while family-linked accounts allege he was denied access to counsel and contact with family during IRGC Intelligence custody.
2026/02/07BBC: Pressure Intensifies on Voria Ghafouri as Accounts Frozen and Phone Cut
BBC Persian reports a new phase of security and judicial pressure on former Iran national team player Voria Ghafouri , citing a person close to him who said his assets have been seized, bank accounts blocked, and his mobile line disconnected . The measures come after Tehran prosecutors ordered the two-month sealing of two Tehran coffee shops linked to him (“ Café Voria ”), which were closed on 18–19 Dey during the recent protests; Iran’s judiciary media center had claimed the closures were accompanied by “indirect” content that aligned with “armed terrorists.” Ghafouri had recently posted an Instagram story expressing grief over killings during the protests and condemning those responsible.
2026/02/07Shiraz Medical Students Hold Sixth Day of Protest, Demand Release of Detained Health Staff
Students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences staged a sixth consecutive day of protest action, according to reports published by the “United Students” channel, calling for the release of detained medical staff and chanting slogans including “Students would rather die than accept humiliation” and demands to free Saeed Javanbakht . The reports frame the gathering as part of broader post-crackdown unrest linked to the Dey-month protests . Chants reported from the protest included: “خط مقدم جان، فداییان ایران” “دانشجو میمیرد، ذلت نمیپذیرد” “سعید جوانبخت، آزاد باید گردد” “قسم به خون یاران ایستادهایم تا پایان”
2026/02/07Tehran Barracks Fire: Officials Blame Electrical Fault, No Injuries
Iranian media reported a fire inside Support Garrison No. 2 of the Army Joint Staff (SAMAJA) on Qodusi Street in Tehran, after online footage circulated claims of a blaze at the “Joint Staff HQ.” Tehran’s Fire Department spokesperson said the incident began around 19:00 in a carpentry workshop (in the waste/scrap area) and was contained quickly with no casualties . A separate military statement said the fire was triggered by an electrical short circuit in a roughly 300 m² woodworking/carpentry workshop; firefighters controlled it and crews were still mopping up afterward.
2026/02/07Shakouri-Rad: “Manufactured” Pro-Regime Deaths Used to Justify Crackdown
Reformist political figure Ali Shakouri-Rad , in an audio file published on the Jomhouriyat Telegram channel, alleged that during the nationwide Dey-month protests, the state pursued a “koshteh-sazi” (staged or “manufactured” deaths) narrative involving pro-regime forces as part of a broader project to intensify repression. He said demonstrations spread to around 400 cities and claimed reformists, conservatives, and security bodies did not anticipate the scale of response to Prince Reza Pahlavi’s call. Shakouri-Rad described the government’s response between 18–22 Dey as “the blackest days in Iran’s history,” asserting the average age of those killed was 15–25 , and added that the trauma would not be “erased” for years, making a provocative remark that it would take a U.S. attack so destructive that the issue would be overshadowed.
2026/02/06Tehran detainee’s case moved to Salavati court, family fears death sentence
Reports say Mohammadamin Beiglery , a 19-year-old detained during protests in Tehran on Jan. 8, 2026 (18 Dey) , is at risk of facing a death-penalty verdict . An informed source said his پرونده was recently transferred from Branch 3 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court to Branch 15 , presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati —a judge activists and families often describe as especially hardline—prompting the family to fear a capital ruling based on the charges filed. Beiglery, who works at a men’s barbershop in Tehran, was reportedly arrested on Damavand Street while returning home from work. He is an only child and his mother has died; after three weeks of uncertainty, authorities reportedly informed his father of the arrest—after the father had spent days searching for him, including among bodies at Kahrizak , according to the account.
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