Power Outages Expose Iran’s Infrastructure Collapse and Trigger Nationwide ProtestsAccording to Mohajerani, in addition to the mandatory shutdown after 1:00 PM, all executive bodies are required to set their cooling systems to 27°C and reduce their electricity consumption by at least 30% during office hours. The oil minister of Iran’s regime also admitted, “The country’s electricity production capacity is limited, and we must manage consumption.” Additionally, according to a directive issued by the Ministry of Interior and communicated to government offices on May 7, the working hours for all government offices, public and non-governmental institutions, banks, insurance companies, and municipalities will be from 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM starting Saturday, May 10, until September 22. These decisions come as, over the past years, Iran’s regime has failed to expand electricity production capacity despite numerous warnings about aging infrastructure, poor energy policy, and the sharp increase in residential and industrial consumption. Furthermore, by allocating a significant portion of energy resources to industries affiliated with military and security institutions, the regime has placed even greater strain on the national power grid.
Mandatory Power Outages in Iran’s Government Offices
According to Fatemeh Mohajerani, spokesperson for the government of Iran’s regime, the decision to shut down cooling systems in government offices has been made in order to “reduce electricity consumption” and “save energy.”
The government spokesperson announced a new directive requiring all cooling systems in government offices and public institutions to be turned off after office hours (1:00 PM).
Mohajerani stated on Saturday, May 10, that the decision to shut off cooling systems in government offices was made to “reduce electricity consumption” and “conserve energy.”
Army Commander of Iranian Regime: The Situation Is Very Sensitive, We Are on High Alert
Hamid Vahedi, the commander of the Air Force of the Iranian regime’s army, announced on Thursday, May 8, that all army fighter jets have been equipped with domestically produced ammunition, equipment, and long-range missiles and are on high alert.
This senior military official, speaking at a ceremony honoring families of fallen Air Force personnel, stressed that “we are in a very sensitive period,” adding: “Our country’s doctrine is defensive, but we will respond forcefully to any attack.”
These statements come as top Israeli officials have escalated their threats against Iran’s regime.
Just hours before Vahedi’s remarks, Israel’s defense minister directly threatened Iran’s regime.
At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump said regarding negotiations with Iran that he is trying to resolve the issue of Iran’s regime without the need for bombing.
The fourth round of negotiations between Iran’s regime and the United States was suspended last week, casting doubt over the future of the talks.
On May 7, Donald Trump stated in an interview that the United States seeks the removal of the regime’s nuclear centrifuges.
He further emphasized that Iranian regime officials must either dismantle these facilities through negotiation or face their destruction by force. “The choice is theirs,” he said.
New NCRI Intelligence Reveals Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program Is Advancing Rapidly
Washington, D.C. – In a major revelation, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) unveiled new intelligence exposing a dangerous escalation in Tehran’s nuclear weapons efforts. Presented at a conference by the NCRI’s U.S. Office, the findings—sourced from the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) network inside Iran—confirm that the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons program has never ceased and is now aggressively advancing.
According to Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the NCRI’s U.S. Office, Tehran is developing advanced “boosted” nuclear weapons capable of being mounted on ballistic missiles with ranges exceeding 3,000 kilometers. Even more alarming, he revealed, is the regime’s simultaneous pursuit of technology to build a hydrogen bomb.
At the heart of this development is tritium, a rare radioactive isotope used in both boosting atomic bombs and enabling hydrogen bomb creation. “The extraction and utilization of tritium give the regime a parallel path to building a hydrogen bomb,” Jafarzadeh said. Soona Samsami, NCRI U.S. Office Director, emphasized that the Organization for Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), controlled by the IRGC, has been secretly recruiting nuclear fusion and tritium experts from Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization since 2013.
SPND has imposed a strict secrecy policy, instructing affiliated universities and scientists not to publish or share any research related to fusion or tritium, further pointing to the military and illicit nature of the program.
Underground Sites and Front Companies
Central to these revelations is the SPND-controlled Eyvanaki site—codenamed “Rangin Kaman.” Located on 2,500 acres, the highly secured facility was overseen by Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the assassinated architect of Iran’s nuclear program. The site includes extensive underground structures and is shielded by IRGC-operated radar and missile defense systems. Locally, it masquerades as a paint factory. To mask its operations and procure critical materials, the regime operates a network of front companies. Chief among them is Petsar, a firm outwardly linked to the petrochemical industry but founded by IRGC Brigadier General Nasser Maleki, a figure under UN sanctions for nuclear proliferation activities. Petsar’s subsidiary, Diba Energy Sina Company, established in 2011, runs the Eyvanaki facility under the cover of producing chemical solvents.A Program That Never Halted
Despite international scrutiny, the Iranian regime has steadily advanced its nuclear weapons ambitions. “The program was never stopped,” Jafarzadeh asserted. “At certain points, it even accelerated.” He explained that the original Amad Plan was replaced with a more advanced initiative, clearly aimed at producing nuclear arms. The most recent intelligence uncovers Tehran’s strategy of developing boosted warheads and moving rapidly toward more destructive thermonuclear devices. According to Samsami, “SPND’s work demonstrates a qualitative leap in the regime’s nuclear weapons drive, not just quantitative progress.”Domestic Repression Tied to Nuclear Ambitions
The NCRI stressed that Tehran’s nuclear drive is tied to internal repression and regime survival. “The program has no peaceful purpose,” Samsami stated, noting that the regime has spent over $2 trillion on its nuclear ambitions while neglecting vital sectors like oil and gas. “This is about staying in power,” she said, referencing the regime’s increasing executions—over 1,200 under its new president Masoud Pezeshkian—and persecution of political prisoners. “The bomb is a shield against both the people and the international community,” Samsami said. “It’s the mullahs’ ultimate guarantee of staying in power.”Call for International Action
The NCRI emphasized that only firm international action can stop the regime. “All of the regime’s nuclear sites must be shut down,” Jafarzadeh said. “The IAEA should monitor their closure—not just inspect.” Samsami reiterated, “No enrichment capability must be allowed. Snapback sanctions must be triggered immediately before time runs out.” The NCRI underscored that the most effective and sustainable solution is empowering the Iranian people and their organized resistance. “There’s no need for foreign military intervention,” Samsami said. “What’s needed is recognition of the Iranian people’s right to resist the IRGC.” The NCRI’s track record of nuclear disclosures, including the 2002 Natanz revelations that led to IAEA inspections, demonstrates their credibility. “Every significant nuclear revelation has come from the Resistance,” Samsami emphasized. “And once again, we’re warning the world.” She concluded that a democratic, secular Iran is the only real safeguard against nuclear proliferation and regional instability. “The world must support the Iranian people and their resistance movement to ensure peace, security, and a non-nuclear future.”Iran: Death Sentence Issued for Political Prisoner Peyman Farahavar
Iran’s regime has sentenced political prisoner Peyman Farahavar to death. This sentence was issued due to his poems, writings, and positions in support of farmers, his protest against environmental destruction, widespread construction of luxury villas, and harmful economic policies in Gilan Province.
Iran Human Rights Society reported on Tuesday, May 6, that political prisoner Peyman Farahavar, a poet from Gilan, was sentenced to death for the charges of “rebellion” (baghi) and “enmity against God” (moharebeh), and to three months of imprisonment for “propaganda against the regime.” This verdict was issued on May 1 in a court session presided over by Judge Ahmad Darvish-Goftar, without the presence of a defense attorney.
Political prisoner Peyman Farahavar, who has a ten-year-old child, was arrested by security forces in August 2024 and, after a period of interrogation by the intelligence department, was transferred to Lakan Prison. He had previously been arrested and sentenced for his activism.
This political prisoner suffers from severe health problems, including complications from gallbladder surgery, lymphatic sensitivity, and intense pain in the surgical area. Despite his critical condition, prison authorities have so far refused to transfer him to medical centers.
Farahavar also suffered internal bleeding during interrogations and remains deprived of proper medical treatment.
He was subjected to severe psychological and physical torture during his detention. Arrested by the IRGC Intelligence on August 17, 2024, he endured a week of intense torture, to the point of losing consciousness and remaining unconscious for 24 hours.
This case is yet another alarming example of death sentences issued against civil and political activists in Iran, without observing the principles of a fair trial and with gross violations of the defendants’ rights.
Manouchehr Fallah Sentenced to Death on the Pretext of Causing Damage to the Rasht Courthouse BuildingJudge Ahmad Darvish-Goftar is the head of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht and previously headed the first branch of this court. He has presided over several cases, including those of Manouchehr Fallah and Sharifeh Mohammadi, both of whom were sentenced to death for “rebellion.” Darvish-Goftar also sentenced political prisoner Hamzeh Darvish to 14 years in prison. According to reports, after Sharifeh Mohammadi’s death sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court, her case was referred to the second branch of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht, where the presiding judge is the son of Ahmad Darvish-Goftar.
Power Outages Expose Iran’s Infrastructure Collapse and Trigger Nationwide Protests
In recent days, widespread and repeated power outages, along with disruptions in water supply across various areas of Tehran Province, have been met with scattered yet notable public protests.
According to a report by the regime-affiliated website Baharnews, within one year—from September 2023 to September 2024—electricity demand in the country increased by around 7,000 megawatts. Meanwhile, production capacity only rose by 2,235 megawatts—a figure that clearly reflects a deep gap between supply and demand in this vital sector.
The same report notes that addressing the 20,000-megawatt electricity shortfall will require massive investments, including:
$10 billion to offset the production shortfall,
$20 billion for the development of power plants and electricity supply infrastructure,
$35 billion for modernization of the transmission and distribution network,
and a total of $100 billion to eliminate the overall energy imbalance in the country.
These figures clearly show that Iran’s energy crisis stems not from a lack of resources but from chronic mismanagement, widespread corruption, and systematic neglect of vital infrastructure development.
In response to the current critical situation, nationwide protest calls have been issued.
On Tuesday, May 6, bakers in Tehran and other cities announced that they would halt their activities for three days (May 6, 7, and 8), and would gather at 11:00 a.m. in front of county governor’s offices and provincial governorates.
Additionally, on Thursday, May 8, farmers across the country are planning to hold demonstrations. The exact timing of these protests has not yet been announced.
The disastrous electricity and water outage policies have placed immense pressure on families and lower-income groups. These measures, introduced in mid-spring, serve as a clear warning of even more severe conditions during the hotter months, particularly in August.
Power outages in Iran, especially in spring 2025, are not merely a technical issue or due to energy shortages; they are a concrete sign of managerial collapse, structural corruption, and governmental incompetence. The regime prioritizes its survival through repression, terrorism, and plunder rather than ensuring the welfare of the people.
The electricity crisis is being managed as if no responsible authority or prior planning exists. Outages occur without prior notice, and their official schedules contradict what is actually happening on the ground.
The blackouts are a direct result of widespread corruption at the highest levels of the regime. Billions of dollars in national revenue have been diverted from energy infrastructure investments to fund the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), missile programs, support for regional militias, and domestic repression.
Meanwhile, regime officials refuse to answer to the public. This complete disconnect between the ruling system and the people signals the collapse of the regime’s social legitimacy.
From students at the National University to shopkeepers in the city of Shahriar, all have participated in these protests. Power outages, like other crises (inflation, water scarcity, pollution, unemployment), have become a shared experience across all social classes. This convergence forms a concrete foundation for the emergence of a nationwide uprising.
Iranian Regime Found Liable for Torture of American Hostage in Lebanon
A U.S. federal court has found the Iranian regime liable for its role in the detention and torture of Amer Fakhoury, a Lebanese American citizen who was arrested in Lebanon in 2019. The ruling comes after nearly four years of legal pursuit by the Fakhoury family.
The Fakhoury family stated that the Iranian regime was involved in their father’s arrest through its proxy group, Hezbollah in Lebanon. This is the first time a U.S. court has officially recognized such a connection.
Amer Fakhoury, who once served in the army in southern Lebanon, was arrested during a trip to the country in September 2019 and faced serious charges. He returned to the U.S. in March 2020 after being acquitted by Lebanon’s Supreme Court but died in September of that year due to cancer and complications stemming from his detention.
The Fakhoury family expressed appreciation for the court’s decision, stating that the ruling could pave the way for legal action on behalf of other citizens who have faced pressure or detention in Lebanon.
They also called for sanctions against Lebanese officials whom they claim have collaborated with Hezbollah and the Iranian regime.
Hezbollah supporters have repeatedly engaged in violence and suppression of citizens in Lebanon over the past years.
Three years ago, Dima Sadek, a Lebanese Shiite journalist critical of Hezbollah, received threats of sexual assault and murder after condemning the attack on Salman Rushdie.
At the time, an unnamed Hezbollah official told Reuters that the group had no knowledge of the attack on Salman Rushdie by a man of Lebanese descent (Hadi Matar) and therefore could not comment.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah supporters on social media referred to the attack as a “sacred stabbing” and described the assailant as “brave” and a “hero.”
Evin Political Prisoners Continue Protesting the Transfer of Political Prisoner Mir Yousef Younesi
A group of political prisoners in Ward 4 of Evin Prison staged a protest during their outdoor time.
The political prisoners in Ward 4 protested the sudden and forced transfer of 70-year-old political prisoner Mir Yousef Younesi to the ward for inmates convicted of non-political offenses, during which he was not even allowed to take his medication with him.
On Tuesday, May 6, 70-year-old political prisoner Mir Yousef Younesi was forcibly and without prior notice transferred from the political prisoners’ ward in Evin Prison to the ward housing inmates convicted of non-political crimes. This move provoked a strong reaction from his fellow inmates in Ward 4, who staged a sit-in in front of the guard office and the office of the head of the ward. The prisoners demanded Younesi’s immediate return to his original ward and protested the behavior of the ward chief.
The transfer of Younesi occurred as he was returning from a visitation area to his ward with his son, Ali Younesi, a political prisoner and an elite student at Sharif University of Technology. Prison guards, following orders from Hedayat Farzadi, the head of Evin Prison, violently separated the father and son and sent them to different locations. Security agents stated that an order had been issued prohibiting the two from being held in the same ward.
Mir Yousef Younesi has been imprisoned in Evin since January 2023. Despite his advanced age, he suffers from ailments such as diabetes and hearing loss but has been denied medical treatment. In total, he has spent more than 14 years in prison since the era of the former dictator Shah of Iran due to his support for the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
His son, Ali Younesi, has been detained since May 2020 and was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Under existing laws, Ali and another imprisoned elite student, Hossein Moradi, should have been eligible for sentence reduction after serving five years, but their release has been blocked so far.
Manouchehr Fallah Sentenced to Death on the Pretext of Causing Damage to the Rasht Courthouse Building
The death sentence issued for political prisoner Manouchehr Fallah, currently held in Lakan Prison in Rasht, reveals that the Revolutionary Court judge based the charge of moharebeh (waging war against God) on the very minor financial damage done to the door and facade of the Rasht courthouse.
According to the Rasht Revolutionary Court ruling, Fallah was accused of detonating a sound bomb on June 17, 2023, which caused 25 million rials (approximately $29) in damage to the door and facade of the Rasht courthouse and allegedly created “fear and panic.”
However, according to a report by the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence, the explosion occurred at 12:30 a.m., when no one was present in or around the courthouse building on Janbazan Street.
The continuation of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign enters its sixty-seventh week across 41 prisons in IranLawyers state that the ruling is full of flaws and that the case file lacks the kind of evidence that would allow a judge to charge Fallah with moharebeh or issue an indictment and death sentence on that basis. The judge who issued the ruling classified Fallah as a mohareb based on Articles 687, 283, 282, and 279 of the Islamic Penal Code. He argued that the courthouse is a “security building.” However, according to the first note of the Islamic Penal Code, an act constitutes moharebeh only if it is committed with the intent to “disrupt public order and security and confront the Islamic government.” Despite these conditions, the judge interpreted the use of a sound bomb—which caused only minor damage and injured no one, as no one was present—as constituting moharebeh. A portion of the verdict refers to Article 183 of the Islamic Penal Code, which states that anyone who takes up arms to create fear and insecurity in society is considered a mohareb. The ruling adds: “It must be stated that the above crimes are not moharebeh themselves but are considered equivalent to moharebeh.” Even within the Iranian regime’s judiciary, such an approach is unprecedented. Previously, the regime’s judiciary accused dissenting or protesting citizens of moharebeh—usually based on unproven allegations of clashes with security forces or attempted killings—and issued death sentences accordingly. According to available information, Fallah’s case has been referred to the Supreme Court following an appeal of the Revolutionary Court’s ruling and is currently awaiting review. Fallah was arrested by agents of the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence at Rasht airport in June 2023 and transferred to Lakan Prison in the city after the end of his interrogations. The political prisoner was initially charged in Branch 16 of the Rasht Prosecutor’s Office, and after much legal back-and-forth and the issuance of an indictment, his case was referred to the Rasht Revolutionary Court. In this case, he faced charges including “propaganda against the regime,” “insulting Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran’s regime,” “membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK),” “destruction of public property,” and “manufacturing and using a homemade sound bomb.” Additionally, from the beginning of his legal proceedings until the issuance of the death sentence, this political prisoner was denied access to legal counsel.
Issuance of Death Sentence and Assertion of Innocence
In November 2023, Fallah was tried by Branch 3 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court for one of his cases and sentenced to one year, three months, and one day in prison for “insulting Khamenei” and to seven months and 16 days for “propaganda against the regime.” Earlier, in August 2023, Fallah had gone on hunger strike to protest the fabricated charges by the Iranian regime’s security apparatus and the deliberate obstruction of his case by the investigating prosecutor. On February 12, 2025, in a letter to his daughter Asal on her 16th birthday, this political prisoner wrote: “On the eve of your birthday, Judge Mohammad Ali Darvish Goftar informed me of my death sentence, perhaps in hopes of forcing me to surrender.” He added: “But he does not realize that the path I have chosen is not one I found in books, but one I learned through life and through the suffering of the people. Poverty and injustice have been my teachers, and now that this awareness has taken root in me, I consider silence in the face of it an unforgivable sin.” In the same letter, Fallah reaffirmed his innocence, writing: “Dear Asal, they have imprisoned me for a crime I did not commit. I have neither violated anyone’s rights, nor looted any wealth, nor taken bread from anyone’s table. I have not stolen an oil rig, nor sat in a judge’s seat to issue unjust rulings. My only crime has been to speak out against poverty, inequality, and injustice; to refuse to remain silent in the face of all this oppression. Yet I have harmed no one and have used no violence in this path.” Fallah was a tattoo artist and lived in Kish Island before his arrest. He is one of dozens of prisoners across Iran currently facing death sentences on political or security-related charges. In recent months, the rise in executions and the issuance and confirmation of death sentences for political prisoners in Iran have sparked a wave of protests both inside and outside the country. On May 2, 2025, 309 prominent legal experts, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, human rights activists, and civil and human rights organizations around the world signed a statement urging the United Nations to immediately intervene to stop the wave of executions of political prisoners in Iran. The statement condemned the increasing wave of political executions in Iran and described it as part of the Iranian regime’s systematic campaign to suppress dissent.Bandar Abbas Explosion Exposes Regime’s Deadly Cover-Up
The massive explosion in Bandar Abbas—which, according to Iranian regime outlets, “reached temperatures of up to 1,400 degrees Celsius,” and which The Washington Post estimated to have had the power of “50 tons of TNT”—not only claimed the lives of hundreds of Iranians, but once again exposed the anti-people nature of the mullahs’ regime.
This explosion showed that in order to continue his ominous policy of “warmongering”—which is necessary for the regime’s survival—regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei both spends the nation’s wealth on missiles and nuclear activities and turns various parts of Iran into death traps by stockpiling explosive materials and rocket fuel.
“Silenced Tragedy: The Bandar Abbas Explosion and the Iranian Regime’s Denial and Suppression”Now, after the explosion, the Iranian regime—terrified of public outrage over the increasing exposure of this reality—shamelessly referred to the disaster as “an incident that can happen anywhere,” and attempted to downplay its scale by saying “be patient.” Following the statements of Khamenei, the regime’s prosecutor in Hormozgan province reduced the already-downplayed death toll from 70 to 46 and stated that 11 people were missing. However, even at that time, the regime-affiliated Entekhab news website reported that in just one instance, “30 to 40 people whose family members went missing after the explosion at Rajaei Port gathered at the entrance of the port.” The official death toll of 46 comes while witnesses told Simaye Azadi (the opposition-run satellite channel) the following:
- “Easily over 300 to 400 corpses burned on the docks and there’s no trace of them.”
- “Among them were 15 or 16 people I personally knew, and there’s no trace of them.”
- “Many Baluch people who entered through the back gate without documents and worked there were all burned.”
- “I can easily say the number of dead is 400, 500, 600—it may be higher, but absolutely not lower.”
Tehran Stock Index Plunges and Dollar Rate Rises Following “Postponement of Nuclear Talks” with Iran’s Regime
The postponement of the fourth round of nuclear talks between the Iranian regime and the United States, along with the impact of this news, led to a plunge in the Tehran Stock Exchange index and a rise in the dollar-to-rial exchange rate. Some analysts suggest the talks may have “failed” rather than merely been “postponed.”
The delay of the fourth round of nuclear negotiations between the regime and the United States and the resulting market reaction at the start of the trading week caused a sharp decline in the Tehran Stock Exchange index and an increase in the dollar rate.
Iran’s Rial Continues to Plummet in New Persian YearAccording to domestic Iranian media, the price of one US dollar in Tehran’s unofficial currency market on Saturday, May 3, rose to around 870,000 rials — a roughly 5% increase compared to the previous week. In addition, the Tehran Stock Exchange index dropped by 61,116 points on Saturday, ending in the red once again. In this context, the state-run ISNA news agency reported that on the first business day of the week in Iran, only 82 stocks closed in the green while 269 stocks ended in the red, and the overall market value dropped by approximately 2%. According to experts, while the currency and gold markets had shown a declining trend over the past 18 trading days due to the nuclear negotiations, the Tehran Stock Exchange had only experienced four days of losses during that period, with its overall value increasing on the other days. The Iranian regime and the United States had held three rounds of nuclear negotiations, but the fourth round — scheduled for Saturday, May 3 — was postponed due to “logistical and technical reasons,” according to Oman, the host of the talks. Additionally, Jean-Noël Barrot, the French foreign minister, stated on May 1 that the planned talks between representatives of the regime and the three European countries — Germany, the United Kingdom, and France — would also not take place. Amid speculation over the reasons for the “postponement” of the nuclear negotiations between the Iranian regime and the United States, some analysts are suggesting that what has occurred may be a “failure” of the talks rather than just a “delay.” Amid the stock market plunge and rising dollar rate following the postponement of nuclear negotiations, the state-run Donya-ye Eqtesad newspaper reported that on Saturday, May 3, the Tehran Stock Exchange experienced “one of its toughest trading days of the year.” According to the state-run Donya-ye Eqtesad, the main index of the Tehran Stock Exchange dropped sharply by 1.95% on Saturday, “retreating to the 3,116,000 level.” Donya-ye Eqtesad also reported that during Saturday’s stock market session, the “unprecedented outflow of retail investor funds from the market” left many economic actors disturbed and worried. According to the report, around 40 trillion rials (approximately $46 million) of individual investors’ money left the market on Saturday. This amount “not only broke a two-year record but also reflects the high level of distrust among individual investors.” In its report, Donya-ye Eqtesad attributed this situation to “investors’ concerns over the outlook of the negotiations” on one hand, and to the “weak demand side and general distrust toward the market trend” on the other. At the same time, some economic experts are forecasting “a new wave of capital outflow and index decline.”
