2026/01/20IRGC Intelligence Claims 166 Arrests in Qazvin Amid Protest Crackdown
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing the IRGC Intelligence Organization in Qazvin province, said 166 people described as “agents of the main protest leaders” were detained following “intelligence monitoring” and “public cooperation.” Rights groups have warned that the crackdown is being accompanied by widespread arrests and elevated risks of abuse in detention, as international scrutiny grows—including an upcoming UN Human Rights Council emergency session on violence against protesters.
2026/01/2018th Birthday Planned, Bullet Fired: Erfan Faraji Killed While Filming Protests in Naziabad
As his family prepared balloons for a surprise party for his 18th birthday, Mohammad Erfan Faraji was standing in Naziabad, Tehran , filming protesters’ courage—hoping to go home later and describe what he had witnessed. A relative told IranWire that Erfan was shot from behind around 8 p.m. on 18 Dey near Meydan Behesht , the bullet passing through his heart and exiting his chest. Faraji, who lived in Shahr-e Rey , reportedly collapsed silently moments after being hit.
2026/01/20Iran Provinces Close Schools for 1 Bahman as Cold Snap Bites
Iranian media report that schools in Tehran, Alborz, Zanjan, Mazandaran, North Khorasan, and Qazvin will be closed on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 (1 Bahman 1404) , with some provinces also extending the closure to government offices . Local statements cite low temperatures and energy-consumption management as key drivers, as forecasts point to continued chilly conditions in the capital.
2026/01/20UN Rights Council to Hold Emergency Iran Session on Friday
Reuters reports the UN Human Rights Council will convene a special (emergency) session in Geneva on Friday, January 23, 2026 (۳ بهمن ۱۴۰۴) to address what proponents describe as “alarming violence” against protesters. The request was submitted by a cross-regional group (including Germany, the UK, and Iceland ) in a letter by Iceland’s ambassador Einar Gunnarsson , arguing the situation is urgent due to credible reports of severe violence, crackdowns, and international human-rights violations; 21 countries have backed the move so far. Human Rights Watch is urging the UN’s existing Iran fact-finding mechanism (created after 2022 protests) to also examine the latest killings and receive additional funding, while Iran has circulated rebuttals denying the allegations and claiming unrest began after armed attacks on security forces.
2026/01/20Lavrov: Russia Won’t Stop Trading With Iran Despite Trump’s 25% Tariff Threat
Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow “sees no reason” to halt trade with Iran and will continue commercial cooperation whenever it deems appropriate, despite U.S. threats of tariffs and sanctions. His remarks follow President Donald Trump’s January 12, 2026 announcement that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States. Lavrov pointed to ongoing joint projects—such as work tied to the Bushehr nuclear power plant and the International North–South Transport Corridor —as evidence that Russia intends to keep implementing bilateral agreements regardless of U.S. pressure.
2026/01/20Unverified Video Shows Armed Convoy Chanting in Iran Street
New footage circulating on social media appears to show armed individuals in military-style uniforms and gear moving through an Iranian street in vehicles, seemingly aiming to intimidate residents. The exact time and location are unclear, but the video captures armed forces chanting slogans such as “Labbaik ya Khamenei” and “Ya Heydar,” while a heavy weapon appears mounted on one of the vehicles; gunfire can also be heard in the background.
2026/01/20Rouhani and Zarif Reappear at Funeral as Detention Rumors Are Denied
Iranian outlets with internet access published photos on Tuesday showing former President Hassan Rouhani and former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attending a memorial ceremony for the mother of ex-official Mohammad Shariatmadari , undercutting recent social-media claims and an Israeli Channel 14 report alleging Zarif had contacted Prince Reza Pahlavi during the protests, informed Rouhani, and that both were subsequently detained by the IRGC. Zarif’s office responded with a sharply worded statement, calling the allegations a “big lie” and warning that the amplification of such claims—attributed to a figure it described as a serial liar and echoed by Israeli media—was a “dangerous affliction.”
2026/01/20US Says It’s Backing Iranians’ Internet Access as Blackout Nears Two Weeks
The U.S. State Department’s Near Eastern Affairs bureau said in a post on X on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 (30 Dey 1404) that Washington supports Iranians’ access to the internet, arguing U.S. sanctions “target the Iranian government, not the people.” It pointed to Iran General License D-2 as the mechanism that exempts certain internet, communications, and connectivity-related services and technologies from sanctions so Iranians can stay connected with the world, adding that Tehran tries to cut the internet “because it is afraid.” The message came as Iran’s near-total connectivity shutdown—reported to have started around January 8 —has effectively kept the country offline for close to two weeks.
2026/01/20Amnesty: Stop the Execution of 19-Year-Old Protester Amirhossein Ghaderzadeh
Amnesty International urged Iranian authorities to immediately halt any plans to execute Amirhossein Ghaderzadeh , a 19-year-old protester, after receiving information that his family had been told the execution is scheduled for 1 Bahman 1404 (January 21, 2026) . Amnesty said the case reflects escalating pressure on detainees amid the crackdown and called for urgent action to prevent an irreversible outcome.
2026/01/20Zarif’s Office Denies “Baseless” Arrest Claims After Israeli TV Report
Former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s office issued a statement rejecting allegations circulated about him as “lies,” “forged,” and “baseless,” after Israel’s Channel 14 claimed Zarif had multiple contacts with Prince Reza Pahlavi , allegedly informed Hassan Rouhani, and that both men were then detained by the IRGC. Iranian outlets carrying Zarif’s response said the office described the story as an opportunistic fabrication amplified by Israeli media and denied the arrest narrative.
2026/01/20Iran International: Unnamed Interior Ministry Official Urges Trump to “Act” as Crackdown Intensifies
Iran International reported that an unidentified Interior Ministry official—who says he joined recent protests and stayed away from work following a call by Prince Reza Pahlavi —urged U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene, including calling for a military strike on the Islamic Republic. In an audio message dated 28 Dey (approximately January 18, 2026 ), the source alleged widespread use of live ammunition and deliberate targeting of protesters, including claims that agents used G3 rifles, while cities faced martial-law-like conditions with controlled movement, motorcycle units, and armoured patrols to prevent gatherings. The official said the crowds on 18–19 Dey were “unprecedented,” claimed authorities tried to block videos and shape the narrative, and warned that if Trump does not act, anti-Trump sentiment among Iranians could grow—while noting Trump has previously warned that U.S. action could follow if protesters are shot.
2026/01/20CPJ Demands Immediate Release of Bahá’í Photographer Navid Zarrehbin Irani
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Iranian authorities to immediately release freelance documentary photographer Navid Zarrehbin Irani , a Bahá’í citizen based in Mashhad, and to end what it described as systematic harassment and intimidation of journalists in Iran. CPJ said he was arrested at his home in Mashhad on January 16, 2026 , amid a wider pressure campaign and communications disruptions linked to the ongoing unrest.
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