2026/01/22U.S. warns Iran could execute soldier who refused to shoot protesters
In a post on X, the U.S. State Department’s Persian-language account said reports indicate an Iranian soldier, Javid Khales , has been sentenced to death for refusing to fire on “innocent” protesters. Washington framed his refusal as the only moral choice and condemned Tehran for punishing security personnel who follow their conscience, arguing that no government should demand violence against its own citizens—and then impose the harshest penalty on those who refuse.
2026/01/22Students’ Group Reports Death of Tehran Software Student Sina Kazemi
The “Students United” Telegram channel reported that Sina Kazemi , a software student , was killed in Tehran on 19 Dey 1404 (Jan. 9, 2026) . No additional details were provided in the post, and independent verification remains difficult amid information constraints.
2026/01/22Malayer: Witnesses Say Elderly Were Among the Dead as Families Face Silent Burials
Iran International reported—citing messages received and an eyewitness account—that security forces’ crackdown in Malayer did not spare older residents, with women and men among the elderly reportedly killed. The report says around 100 people died in Malayer on 18–19 Dey , and that many families were forced to bury victims quietly and without ceremonies . The eyewitness also claimed at least 35 bodies were held by authorities, and families were asked to pay up to 1 billion tomans to retrieve remains.
2026/01/22Transition Council Urges EU Diplomatic Freeze, IRGC Terror Listing
Iran’s Transition Management Council said the international community should act immediately to prevent a Syria-style crackdown from being repeated in Iran, arguing the Islamic Republic’s record in backing Bashar al-Assad must not be replicated at home. In its statement, the council called on EU member states to expel Islamic Republic ambassadors and urged European governments to recall all their ambassadors from Iran , while also pressing for the IRGC to be designated as a terrorist organization —claiming such steps could help disrupt the state’s “killing machine” and protect detainees at risk of execution. The council warned that any normalization of relations with Tehran would amount to legitimizing the killing of Iranians and paving the way for further abuses.
2026/01/21Two Friends Killed in Bandar Abbas, Reports Say
Social-media reports say Mehrshad Ragbar (26) and Mohammadamin Khatam (20) —close friends—were shot dead on the evening of 19 Dey 1404 (Jan. 9, 2026) in Bandar Abbas . According to the accounts, the two were traveling by motorcycle when they were targeted by gunfire and died at the scene or shortly after. Posts also note that Khatam’s “hejleh” memorial was held in the local Bandari style, a rite often used to mourn young people who die prematurely underscoring the sense of collective grief around their deaths.
2026/01/21Birthday Without Him: Memorial for 26-Year-Old Alireza Rahimi After Tehranpars Shooting
A video circulating on social media shows a group of people clapping and marking the birthday of Alireza Rahimi , a young man who is absent—his family has set up a memorial display, and neighbors gather outside his home despite the climate of repression. Rahimi, 26 , was reportedly killed on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 (18 Dey 1404) in Tehranpars (Flakeh Sevom) after being shot with live ammunition in the back of the head. A witness claims the gunfire came from rooftops; Rahimi reportedly collapsed in his uncle’s arms and died about 45 minutes after being transferred to hospital. The footage and accounts have been shared as part of a broader online effort to memorialize those killed during the protest crackdown.
2026/01/21“Either Death or Khamenei” Banner at Tehran University Sparks Outrage
A banner reading “Ya Marg Ya Khamenei” (“Either Death or Khamenei”) reportedly installed over the entrance of the University of Tehran is being widely cited online as a provocation after weeks of lethal repression and mass casualties during nationwide protests. Critics say the display turns a campus long associated with dissent and anti-Khamenei slogans into a forced showcase of state power, arguing the message signals not strength but a deep political dead-end—framed in the language of intimidation, coercion, and death.
2026/01/21“A Hunting Eagle Fears No Owl”: Mashhad Protest Image Spreads Online
A widely shared photo said to be from Mashhad shows a large crowd of protesters holding a banner bearing a line attributed to Nader Shah Afshar— “ A hunting eagle fears no owl”—a slogan supporters say evokes Iran’s historical resistance to coercion and occupation. The image is being framed as a symbol of a national uprising rooted in culture and dignity, as reports of a severe crackdown continue; activists also allege authorities have relied on affiliated forces and foreign-linked militias—claims that are difficult to independently verify amid sweeping communications restrictions.
2026/01/21Starlink Advisory Circulates in Iran Amid Thermal-Detection Fears
A safety advisory shared by an Iran-based activist is circulating among Starlink users, warning that certain device modes can materially increase heat output and may raise the risk of detection by thermal-imaging surveillance. The message also stresses operational caution around visible rooftop placement and notes that thermal cameras tend to be more effective at night—underscoring the broader climate of heightened risk as connectivity restrictions and security pressures persist.
2026/01/21A $37m-a-Day Internet Blackout
The U.S. State Department’s Persian-language account said Iran’s ongoing internet shutdown is not only aimed at silencing people, but also at keeping them economically constrained—claiming that each day offline costs Iran more than $37 million , paralyzing businesses and worsening household hardship. The figure is attributed to NetBlocks’ “Cost of Shutdown” estimate, which models economic losses using public indicators (including sources such as the World Bank and the ITU), while separate reporting also cites materially lower “official” loss estimates—highlighting a wide gap between government and independent assessments.
2026/01/21800+ Film Figures Condemn Iran Protest Crackdown
More than 800 filmmakers, writers, and artists from multiple countries have signed a joint statement condemning the Islamic Republic’s reported killing and torture of Iranians during the latest nationwide protests. High-profile signatories cited in reporting include Juliette Binoche , Marion Cotillard , Yorgos Lanthimos , and Florian Zeller , alongside Iranian cultural figures such as Golshifteh Farahani , Zar Amir Ebrahimi , Shirin Neshat , and Sepideh Farsi . The statement argues no political power has the right to massacre its own people to preserve itself or suppress the truth, and it urges international bodies, film festivals, and cultural institutions to condemn the abuses and reconsider official engagements with Islamic Republic institutions.
2026/01/21Tehran’s Khak-Sefid: A Witness Account of Live Fire and Dozens Down
Human-rights activist Rima Shirmohammadi has published a first-person account describing two consecutive nights of protest and violent repression in Tehran’s Khak-Sefid (also known as Golshan), a neighborhood bounded by Jashnvareh Street, 137 Street, and 35-Metri Ehsan, near parts of Hemmat Highway. She says that on Thursday local youths briefly blocked the Hemmat entry with trash bins and urged drivers to honk in protest before reopening the route, after which a short clash ended with security forces retreating. In her telling, a young man she identifies as “Majid” spoke emotionally about entrenched poverty, executions in local families, and being pushed toward crime by lack of opportunity. She writes that on Friday around 7:30 p.m. roughly 1,500 people returned to the same area, where protesters lit fires and used concrete blocks as barricades; after police left, she alleges Basij, IRGC, and plainclothes forces moved in and fired live ammunition, with sustained shooting as crowds fled. She claims she then saw the same young man from Thursday on the ground with a head wound and reports about 40 people were down—killed or wounded—by the end of the confrontation.
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