2026/01/25Tehran Goes Dark Again: International Internet Cut, VPNs Fail
Reports received by Independent Persian say international internet access in Tehran was cut again from Sunday afternoon, 5 Bahman 1404 (Jan. 25, 2026) , with most VPNs no longer working in the capital and some other cities. The disruption follows claims of a limited return of international connectivity over the past 24 hours after a 14-day blackout. Additional reports from multiple cities also describe weaker service than the previous two days, with international access constantly dropping in and out and widespread VPN outages outside Tehran as well.
2026/01/25Iran’s Football Community Urges FIFA: “Don’t Stay Silent”
A group of Iranian players, coaches, referees, and sports journalists say they have sent a formal statement to FIFA , warning about the killing of football-related figures and the risk of executions and repression targeting members of Iran’s football community. The statement names several reported victims— Mojtaba Torshiz, Sahba Rashtian, Mehdi Lavasani, Amir Hossein Mohammadzadeh, Rebin Moradi, and Mohammad Hajipour —and was prepared with the participation of former Iran international and AFC Player of the Year Ali Karimi . Signatories cited in the reporting include Ali Karimi, Mohammad Taghavi, Sosha Makani, Milad Zanidpour, Alireza Marzban, Mohammadreza Faghani, Mohammadreza Mansouri, and Mahsa Ghorbani ; Ali Daei is not listed among the signers.
2026/01/25Iran Grounds VFR Flights Nationwide for Three Months
Reports say Iran has suspended all VFR (visual flight rules) and general aviation flights nationwide for three months , from 5 Bahman 1404 to 5 Ordibehesht 1405 (roughly Jan 25 to Apr 25, 2026 ). The suspension reportedly excludes only limited “special” operations, including military , government , search-and-rescue , medical emergency , and National Iranian Oil Company helicopters . VFR operations—typically flown by light aircraft at lower altitudes —rely on pilots navigating by direct visual reference under suitable weather conditions, so the measure would effectively freeze much of non-commercial domestic flying and training activity during the period.
2026/01/25‘Hands on Our Weapons’: Kataib Hezbollah Signals War Readiness
Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) said it is preparing for a “comprehensive war” scenario and warned it would not stay neutral if Washington launches military action against Iran. Speaking during a protest outside Iran’s embassy in Baghdad on January 16, a senior commander said the group’s capabilities are “ready” and framed the move as part of the wider U.S.–Iran confrontation, as regional tensions rise alongside new U.S. deployments and increasingly explicit warnings from Tehran.
2026/01/25Former Iranian League Goalkeeper Roozbeh Sinki Reportedly Detained After Instagram Criticism
Accounts say the IRGC Intelligence Organization arrested Roozbeh Sinki on Sunday evening, 5 Bahman 1404 , a former goalkeeper for Gol Gohar , Mes Sarcheshmeh , and Machine Sazi Tabriz . The report links the detention to his recent Instagram posts criticizing the killing of Iranians.
2026/01/25IranWire: Mehregan Malek-Salehi Detained in Gorgan, Held at Amirabad Prison
IranWire reported that Mehregan Malek-Salehi was arrested in Gorgan by security forces and is currently being held at Amirabad Prison (Gorgan) . According to informed sources, after his detention, he made a brief call to his family to inform them of his situation.
2026/01/25IranWire: Bahá’í Potter Detained in Mashhad, Held at Vakilabad Prison
IranWire reported that Payam Faridian , a Bahá’í citizen and ceramic artist in Mashhad, was arrested on Thursday, 2 Bahman 1404 (Jan. 22, 2026) . According to informed sources cited by the outlet, he was detained by intelligence agents solely for his Bahá’í faith and is currently being held at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. The report says Faridian briefly contacted relatives to relay his situation.
2026/01/25IranWire: Mashhad Hospital Staff Member Matin Moradian Detained in Home Raid
IranWire reported that Matin Moradian , a member of the medical staff at Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad , was arrested on 27 Dey after security forces raided his private residence. According to informed sources, agents entered the home, detained Moradian, and took him away. No official explanation has been issued so far regarding the reason for the arrest or any potential charges.
2026/01/25Bereaved Father Ali Rouhi Shares Message for “Sepehr’s” Family Amid Kahrizak Video
Ali Rouhi, the father of Hamidreza Rouhi—killed during the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests—posted on Instagram expressing solidarity with the father searching for “Sepehr,” after a widely shared 12-minute video showed a man at Kahrizak forensic facilities calling out his son’s name. In an emotional message, Rouhi wrote that he had also searched and cried alongside other fathers and said he had no words, emphasizing that only parents understand the pain of losing a child. The post comes as it remains unclear which victim’s father is heard in the Kahrizak footage, and amid renewed controversy over state-linked outlets publishing forced “confession” content—most recently about Sepehr Ebrahimi —while Rouhi recalled that authorities had previously tried, unsuccessfully, to label his own son Hamidreza (21) as a Basij member in 2022.
2026/01/25Iran Inflation Re-Accelerates: Point-to-Point Rate Hits 60% in Dey
Iran’s Statistical Center reported that point-to-point (year-on-year) inflation in Dey rose to a relatively rare 60% , up by more than 7 percentage points versus the previous month—signaling a sharp re-acceleration in price pressures.
2026/01/25Arak: Mechanical Engineering Student Detained With Family, Father Still Missing
Saman Garizi, a mechanical engineering student at Arak University of Technology , was reportedly arrested during the 19 Dey protests in Arak along with his mother, father, and younger brother. The “United Students” network said the mother and brother were released on bail after three days, but as of the report’s publication, there was still no information about the location or physical condition of Saman Garizi and his father, Reza Garizi . The account adds that the 1404 nationwide protests began on 7 Dey in Tehran with demonstrations and strikes and rapidly spread nationwide; it claims that while the state response was repression, the peak days of 18–19 Dey saw mass killings and arrests on a very large scale.
2026/01/25Security Raid Arrest in Karaj: Milad (Jahangir) Kazemi Detained in Gohardasht
Jahangir (Milad) Kazemi, born in 1367 , married and the father of two daughters aged 2 and 9 , was reportedly arrested around midnight on Wednesday, 24 Dey , during a security-force raid on his home in Gohardasht, Karaj (Mahmoudabad area) , according to the account.
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