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Iran War Tensions Escalate as US Deadline Approaches

Sia Rajabi
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Iran War Tensions Escalate as US Deadline Approaches

Donald Trump has once again warned Iran’s regime and called for a resolution to the conflict. He said he insists that the Strait of Hormuz be reopened by Tuesday. Trump also warned that if no agreement is reached to end the fighting, then, in his words, all civilization could be wiped out tonight.

Referring to the 1979 revolution in Iran, Trump wrote that 47 years of threats, corruption, and death will finally come to an end.

Trump had earlier threatened Tehran that if no agreement is reached to end its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, large-scale attacks would be carried out against the country’s infrastructure.

The Head of the Iranian Regime’s Judiciary Called for Accelerating and Increasing Death Sentences

Explosions Reported on Kharg Island

Iranian regime’s state-run Mehr News Agency reported explosions on Kharg Island, the strategic oil export island in the Persian Gulf.

According to the report, the island—which handles a large portion of Iran’s oil exports—has come under attack.

Earlier, in mid-March, U.S. military forces had conducted airstrikes on this island.

Two Killed in Shooting Near Israeli Consulate in Istanbul

According to reports, following an armed clash with police near the Israeli consulate building in Istanbul, at least two attackers were killed, and another person was seriously wounded.

A Reuters video shows police officers drawing their weapons and taking cover after hearing gunfire. The shooting reportedly continued for about 10 minutes. In the footage, one person can be seen lying on the ground covered in blood.

Another video appears to show one of the attackers moving among police and security forces while shots are being fired. Two bodies are also visible near the scene of the clash.

Attack on Petrochemical Hub in Jubail, Saudi Arabia

Overnight attacks targeted the Jubail region in eastern Saudi Arabia and reportedly caused a fire at a major petrochemical complex.

An eyewitness told Agence France-Presse that explosions were heard at facilities belonging to the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), and workers were evacuated from nearby residential areas.

Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency also reported on Tuesday that the attack targeted a petrochemical complex.

The city of Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia hosts one of the world’s largest industrial cities, where products such as steel, gasoline, petrochemicals, lubricants, and chemical fertilizers are produced.

As of the time of publication, there has been no official response from Saudi Arabia’s government or SABIC.

Israel Warned People in Iran to Avoid Train Travel

The Israeli military issued a warning urging Iranian citizens to avoid using trains and stay away from railway lines, saying their lives would be at risk.

In a post on X, the Israeli military asked people in Iran to avoid all train travel nationwide until 9:00 p.m. local time.

The warning said that being on trains or near railway infrastructure could place civilians in danger.

Iran’s regime has restricted internet access in recent weeks, preventing many citizens inside the country from directly seeing this message.

However, Persian-language satellite news networks based abroad have rebroadcast the warning.

As Trump’s Deadline for Infrastructure Strikes Nears, Iran’s Regime Rejected the Ceasefire Proposal

Iran’s regime rejected the U.S. ceasefire proposal, which had been presented through Pakistani mediation with the aim of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and beginning peace talks in the coming weeks.

Informed sources say Tehran opposed the 45-day ceasefire and instead demanded a complete and permanent end to the war.

Iran’s regime official IRNA news agency reported that Tehran’s response included 10 conditions, including the lifting of sanctions, reconstruction, and guarantees for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump warned that if Iran’s regime refuses the agreement, it could be destroyed overnight.

He threatened that if no agreement is reached, large-scale attacks against bridges, power plants, and other infrastructure would be carried out by early Wednesday.

The Head of the Iranian Regime’s Judiciary Called for Accelerating and Increasing Death Sentences

Jubin Katiraie
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The Head of the Iranian Regime’s Judiciary Called for Accelerating and Increasing Death Sentences

On Tuesday, April 7, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the head of the Iranian regime’s judiciary, called for accelerating and increasing death sentences. The regime judiciary chief emphasized speeding up rulings against what he called “enemy elements and agents,” while reports indicate a sharp increase in pressure on political prisoners and the implementation of death sentences in recent days.

Mohseni Ejei called for accelerating and increasing death sentences. In a meeting with members of the judiciary’s high council, he called for the maximum use of laws, including the law intensifying punishment for espionage, to speed up the issuance of rulings. He also stressed the rapid implementation of punishments such as asset confiscation and executions in cases where the law permits and called for these rulings to be publicized in the media.

These remarks come as, over the past few days, at least 10 political prisoners have been executed, 6 of whom were members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). There have also been reports that dozens of other prisoners are awaiting execution.

Iran’s regime executes political prisoner Ali Fahim

Ejei’s emphasis on accelerating the issuance and implementation of heavy sentences and executions comes as concerns over fair trial procedures and judicial transparency have increased.

In another part of his remarks, Mohseni Ejei described the country’s conditions as an all-out war and stressed the need for decisive confrontation with opponents, as well as intensified market monitoring and action against what he called disruptors. He also claimed that despite these conditions, the daily lives of the people have not been disrupted.

At the same time, the coincidence of these remarks with the recent wave of executions and reports of increasing heavy sentences has further heightened concerns about the intensification of security and judicial approaches in the country.

Iranian Regime Rejects U.S. Ceasefire Proposal, Major Attack on Asaluyeh Petrochemical Facilities

Esmaeil Mohades
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Iranian Regime Rejects U.S. Ceasefire Proposal, Major Attack on Asaluyeh Petrochemical Facilities

On Monday, the official IRNA news agency reported that Iran had conveyed its position on the ceasefire proposal to the United States via Pakistan in the form of a 10-point response. In this way, the Iranian regime gave a negative response to the U.S. proposal.

According to the report, Tehran has opposed a temporary ceasefire and instead emphasized the necessity of a full and permanent end to the war. In this response, a set of demands was raised, including halting regional hostilities, establishing a mechanism for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction of damages, and the lifting of sanctions.

Chinese Private Companies and the Exposure of U.S. Military Movements Amid Iran War

Meanwhile, some Western media outlets, including Axios, described this position as maximalist and assessed the likelihood of its acceptance by the Trump administration as low.

Major attack on Asaluyeh petrochemical facilities

Israel confirmed that it targeted petrochemical facilities in the South Pars region of Asaluyeh today.

Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, described the airstrike on Iran’s petrochemical facilities in Asaluyeh as a severe economic blow worth tens of billions of dollars. In a statement, he said the Israeli military had targeted Iran’s largest petrochemical complex in Asaluyeh, which he said is responsible for producing about 50% of the country’s petrochemical products.

According to the Israeli defense minister, two main facilities through which about 85% of Iran’s petrochemical exports are processed have been put out of operation following these attacks.

Meanwhile, the state-run Fars News Agency reported that several explosions were heard in the South Pars petrochemical zone in Asaluyeh. Domestic media also reported that Mobin Energy and Damavand Energy petrochemical plants in Asaluyeh were targeted.

Drone attack on Komala headquarters in Sulaymaniyah; escalating tensions and widespread condemnation

Early Monday, April 6, the representative office of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan Toilers in the city of Sulaymaniyah, located in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, was targeted in a drone strike. According to local sources, the attack was carried out using two drones within a short interval.

Local sources also said that Shahed-136 drones were used in the operation, drones that have previously been used in similar attacks.

At the same time, fresh reports indicate that on Monday afternoon, another base belonging to the Kurdistan Freedom Party was also targeted in a drone strike, further raising concerns about the expansion of these attacks and increasing regional tensions.

These developments come as Iraq’s Kurdistan Region has repeatedly witnessed similar attacks in recent years, and the repetition of such actions poses serious threats to regional security and civilian residents.

Majid Khademi, head of IRGC Intelligence Organization, killed

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Monday, April 6, that Majid Khademi, head of the intelligence organization of this military body, was killed during the early morning U.S. and Israeli attacks.

In the IRGC statement, Khademi was described as one of the veteran figures in the regime’s security structure who, according to the force, had been active in intelligence and security fields for nearly half a century and had played an influential role.

Majid Khademi was appointed head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization last summer after the killing of Mohammad Kazemi during Israeli strikes in the 12-day war. Before that, he headed the Intelligence Protection Organization of the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.

The U.S. Treasury Department had also placed him on its sanctions list last February and identified the IRGC Intelligence Organization as one of the main pillars in imposing security pressure, carrying out arrests, and suppressing protests in Iran.

The IRGC Intelligence Organization is considered one of the key institutions in the Iranian regime’s security structure, tasked with duties such as counter-espionage within the IRGC, preventing infiltration by opposition currents, protecting classified information, and maintaining security-political oversight over the force’s personnel.

Iran’s regime executes political prisoner Ali Fahim

Hoshang Amiri
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Iran’s regime executes political prisoner Ali Fahim

Early Monday, April 6, amid the continued execution of political prisoners in recent days, another crime was carried out by the Iranian regime, and political prisoner Ali Fahim was executed.

According to the judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency, this criminal act was justified by the charge of participating in an operation attacking a restricted military site in order to seize the armory and steal military weapons.

The judiciary, continuing its official narrative, has claimed that during the January protests, protesters used firearms and incendiary materials, causing the deaths of regime forces and material damage.

The execution of Ali Fahim comes after three other prisoners—Amirhossein Hatami, Mohammadamin Biglari, and Shahin Vahedparast—were previously sentenced to death and executed on the same charges in courts presided over by the notorious judge Abolghasem Salavati. A process that, more than showing any sign of justice, reflects the ruling structure’s vindictiveness.

The Continued Detention of the Family of Executed Political Prisoner Babak Alipour

Ali Fahim, who had been arrested on the evening of January 8, was also subjected to an asset confiscation order in addition to execution. However, no details were ever released regarding his interrogation process, access to legal counsel, or the manner of his defense.

In the same case, Abolfazl Salehi Siavashani remains at risk of execution; he is the last remaining member of this 5-person case whose sentence has not yet been carried out.

As the wave of execution continues at an alarming pace, international bodies have repeatedly warned about this trend. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has called for the immediate halt of all executions, and human rights organizations have also urged the international community to apply effective pressure to end this bloody cycle.

In addition to these four young, executed prisoners, 6 members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK)—namely Mohammad Taghavi, Akbar Daneshvarkar, Pouya Ghabadi, Babak Alipour, Vahid Bani Amerian, and Abolhassan Montazer—were also executed between March 30 and April 4. These criminal executions are taking place while the country is in a wartime atmosphere and the lives of the people, especially prisoners, are in danger due to the bombardments.

The Continued Detention of the Family of Executed Political Prisoner Babak Alipour

Mehdi Hosseini
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The Continued Detention of the Family of Executed Political Prisoner Babak Alipour

The continued detention of the family and the concealment of the body have revealed new dimensions of pressure and organized deprivation of information against those close to Babak Alipour.

Weeks after the arrest of members of the family of Babak Alipour, a member of the PMOI executed by the regime, reports indicate that three of his relatives remain in detention. This comes while Babak Alipour’s death sentence was carried out on March 31, and his family were not only deprived of a final visit with him, but his body has also not been returned to them after the execution.

Two Protesters in Iran, Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast, Were Executed

According to published information, Ommolbanin Dehghan (his mother), Roozbeh Alipour (his brother), and Maryam Alipour (his sister) have been detained since January 26. The three were arrested in Tehran by security forces while returning from a visit with Babak Alipour.

According to sources close to the family, the only official communication during this period was a text message sent by Branch 5 of the Evin Prosecutor’s Office investigative unit to Roozbeh Alipour, informing him that a case had been opened against him on charges of assembly and collusion. However, no clear information has been published regarding the legal status or charges against his mother and sister.

Reports show that Ommolbanin Dehghan and Maryam Alipour are being held in Qarchak Prison in Varamin, while Roozbeh Alipour is under interrogation in Ward 209 of Evin Prison. Qarchak Prison has previously been criticized by human rights organizations for its poor detention conditions.

Ommolbanin Dehghan, the 63-year-old mother of this prisoner, has been an activist in the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, a protest movement formed in opposition to the death penalty and continued with the participation of prisoners’ families and civil activists. Roozbeh Alipour had also previously been sentenced to two years in prison on charges of insulting the supreme leader of Iran’s regime, and had been released after completing his sentence, but was rearrested in late January.

At the same time, Babak Alipour’s family were denied the right to a final visit before his execution, and even after the execution his body was not handed over to them for burial. This issue has also been reported in some other political prisoner cases and is regarded as a factor intensifying psychological pressure on families.

Martyr Babak Alipour, a member of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), had been tried in a joint case alongside five other PMOI members—Vahid Bani Amerian, Mohammad Taghavi, Pouya Ghabadi, Abolhassan Montazer, and Akbar Daneshvarkar—and sentenced to death. All of these PMOI members were executed on March 30, March 31, and April 4.

The swift implementation of these sentences and the lack of transparent notification regarding the timing of their enforcement have raised concerns about the judicial process and the observance of defendants’ rights in these cases. In some instances, families have said they were unaware of the timing of the executions and were suddenly confronted with the reality of their loved ones’ deaths.

Two Protesters in Iran, Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast, Were Executed

Jubin Katiraie
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Two Protesters in Iran, Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast, Were Executed

In the early hours of Sunday, April 5, the Iranian regime carried out the execution sentences of Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast, two protesters detained in connection with the January protests. Mizan News Agency, the judiciary-affiliated media outlet of the Iranian regime, reported the news and said the charges against the two included acting against national security and attempting to gain access to military weapons.

According to the official statement released by the regime, the two were accused of attempting to storm the armory of a military center in Tehran during the January protests. The statement claimed that they entered a classified military site, took part in damaging and setting fire to the location, and tried to gain access to weapons and ammunition. It also said that during the same period, a group of protesters had allegedly tried to infiltrate military centers, including police stations and Basij bases—the Basij being the regime’s paramilitary force used for domestic repression—to obtain weapons.

Iran’s Regime Executes Two PMOI Prisoners Following Earlier Hangings of Four Others

The case of Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast was heard in Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, a judiciary figure widely known for handling political, protest-related, and so-called security cases. Their death sentences had been issued on February 7.

Reports indicate that on Tuesday, March 31, the two prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement along with several other defendants, including Amirhossein Hatami, Ali Fahim, and Abolfazl Salehi. Amirhossein Hatami, a teenager tried in the same case, was executed three days before the implementation of these two sentences. He had also faced similar charges, including participation in operational acts against national security, attempting to obtain weapons, and destruction of state property.

Earlier this week, six political prisoners affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) had also been executed.

With the implementation of these sentences, Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast are now identified as the eighth and ninth individuals executed over the past week. This trend has drawn widespread reactions from human rights organizations. Amnesty International had previously announced that at least 30 people, including two 17-year-old teenagers, are at risk of receiving death sentences in connection with the January protests.

In recent days, alongside rising military tensions and foreign airstrikes, reports have emerged of an increase in executions, a development that has heightened concerns among human rights activists about the possible intensification of this trend under the current crisis conditions.

Chinese Private Companies and the Exposure of U.S. Military Movements Amid Iran War

Mehdi Hosseini
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Chinese Private Companies and the Exposure of U.S. Military Movements Amid Iran War

Chinese private companies, some of which are linked to military institutions, have begun offering information that exposes details of the movement of U.S. forces in the region. This comes while Beijing has officially tried to maintain its distance from developments in the Iran war.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday, April 4, that since the start of the Iran war, users active on Western and Chinese social media platforms have encountered widely viewed posts containing information about U.S. military activities.

Among the information published in these posts are details about equipment deployed at U.S. bases, the movement of American aircraft carriers, and precise analyses of the process of preparing military aircraft for strikes against the Iranian regime.

Widespread Explosions in Mahshahr and Damage to the Bushehr Power Plant

The Washington Post added that this information has emerged from a new and rapidly growing market: Chinese companies, some of which have ties to the military, combine artificial intelligence with open-source data to offer information that, by their own account, can “expose” the movement of U.S. forces.

Analysts believe the activity of private companies could provide an opportunity for Beijing to support its partners indirectly. In this way, China does not become officially involved in the conflicts and preserves its distance from the fighting.

The Iranian regime is one of China’s longstanding allies and an important oil supplier for the country. However, Beijing has refrained from direct entry into the Iran war and is trying to preserve its position as a peace mediator.

On March 11, CNN, citing a Western intelligence official, reported that Russia had provided the Iranian regime with advanced drone tactics so they could be used to attack U.S. interests and the Gulf states.

On March 6, The Washington Post also wrote that Moscow was providing intelligence assistance to Tehran for targeting American forces.

The intelligence competition between China and the United States

The Washington Post went on to write that U.S. officials and intelligence analysts differ in their assessment of the real threat level posed by Chinese private companies.

Some believe such tools can be effectively placed at the disposal of U.S. rivals, while others question their practical effectiveness.

Private companies have long relied on open-source data—such as flight trackers, satellite imagery, and maritime shipping data—to produce analytical intelligence.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence capabilities in Chinese companies has made these tools far more powerful and has made it harder to conceal U.S. military movements.

On April 3, The Telegraph wrote that five sanctioned ships had transported a cargo of sodium perchlorate from Zhuhai Port in China to Iran. This material can be used in the production of hundreds of ballistic missiles.

About one month ago, The Washington Post had also reported that two ships belonging to the Iranian regime, accused by the United States of supplying materials for Tehran’s ballistic missile program, had departed from a Chinese port toward Iran.

“MizarVision” and satellite image processing using artificial intelligence

The Washington Post then introduced one of the Chinese private companies active in the field of military intelligence services. The company, called MizarVision, was established in 2021 in the city of Hangzhou.

Using a combination of Western and Chinese data processed by artificial intelligence, MizarVision records the activity of U.S. military bases in the Middle East, tracks naval movements, and identifies the location and number of aircraft and missile defense systems.

Images published by the company on social media have provided details of the increase in U.S. forces in the Middle East before the start of the war, including the transit of the aircraft carriers USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln.

The company has also published precise information on the number and type of aircraft stationed at Israel’s Ovda Air Base, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base, and Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.

It appears that MizarVision’s satellite imagery includes part of the commercial visual data supplied by American and European companies, including Ventor and Airbus.

In addition, Chinese state media previously reported that MizarVision also uses imagery from the reputable company Planet Labs.

A person working in the private sector of China’s defense industry told The Washington Post that the company uses artificial intelligence to analyze publicly available satellite imagery in the West but does not have access to real-time images from American sources.

U.S. officials and some former intelligence analysts, in interviews with The Washington Post, expressed doubt about the ability of Chinese companies to penetrate America’s classified communications systems.

At the same time, they warned that the growth and expansion of such companies could be cause for concern.

Widespread Explosions in Mahshahr and Damage to the Bushehr Power Plant

Esmaeil Mohades
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Widespread Explosions in Mahshahr and Damage to the Bushehr Power Plant

As tensions escalated, on Saturday, April 4, a wave of massive explosions shook the Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Economic Zone in southwestern Iran, and several major complexes—including Karoun, Marun, Takht-e Jamshid, Fajr 1 and 2, Rejal, and Amir Kabir—were reportedly hit in aerial bombardments. According to local reports, dozens of successive explosions occurred within a short period, triggering widespread fires in parts of this industrial zone. Some sources said the number of blasts exceeded 50 and reported heavy damage to the facilities. At the same time, the emergency evacuation of workers from these complexes began, and the situation in the area was described as “critical.” During the same period, reports also emerged of fighter jets being heard over Kermanshah in western Iran, heightening concerns about a broader expansion of the attacks.

Reactions to The Attack on the Tallest Bridge in the Middle East in Iran

Bushehr, home to Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant on the Persian Gulf coast, also came under attack today. According to internal sources, the impact of a projectile near the Bushehr nuclear facility damaged one of the auxiliary buildings in the complex. The blast wave and shrapnel killed one member of the protection forces, but reports indicate that the main sections of the plant and its operational process have not been disrupted. This comes as, in recent days, the evacuation of foreign personnel—including Russian staff involved in the plant’s operations—has reportedly been underway.

Reactions to The Attack on the Tallest Bridge in the Middle East in Iran

Hoshang Amiri
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Reactions to The Attack on the Tallest Bridge in the Middle East in Iran

Karaj’s B-1 Bridge was supposed to hold the record as the tallest bridge in the Middle East; a massive and complex project whose construction took years and cost tens of trillions of rials. The bridge, with a length of 1,050 meters and a height of 136 meters, had been built in the city of Karaj in Alborz Province, and it was said that it would significantly reduce traffic congestion in the area.

On April 2, the B-1 Bridge was targeted twice in airstrikes, and parts of it collapsed. The bridge had been scheduled to become operational in the coming months.

According to reports, at the time of the attack, many people were in the green spaces beneath and around the elevated bridge, spending Sizdah Bedar, Iran’s traditional Nature Day outing.

The deputy governor of Alborz Province said that 8 people were killed and 95 injured in the attack. Ghodratollah Seif said the victims were passing travelers and people who had been present in the area for Nature Day.

Reactions of the countries involved in the war to the attack

Hours after part of the B-1 Bridge in Karaj collapsed, U.S. President Donald Trump posted images of the strike on Truth Social and wrote, “The biggest bridge in Iran has collapsed and will never be used again. More is on the way!”

Mr. Trump also repeated in his speech last night that he would intensify attacks on Iran over the next two to three weeks and target the country’s infrastructure.

Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister of the Iranian regime, said in response to the attack that targeting civilian infrastructure would not force Iran to surrender.

The deputy minister of roads and urban development of the Iranian regime also said that reconstruction of the B-1 Bridge would begin soon. Houshang Bazvand said the extent of the damage had not yet been assessed, but rebuilding operations would begin in the coming days.

Reactions from social media users

After the B-1 Bridge was struck, reports emerged of power outages on Chalus Road and in parts of Karaj.

Social media users have shown mixed reactions to the destruction of parts of the B-1 Bridge following the attacks. The strike has stirred different emotions among users and once again raised the question of war: yes or no.

Some have condemned the destruction of the country’s infrastructure and say rebuilding it may take years, while its loss directly affects citizens’ lives. They are concerned about Trump’s threat to send Iran back to the Stone Age and say rebuilding the country’s infrastructure—especially given the critical state of the economy—would be extremely difficult even in the event of regime change.

Some are worried that if the Iranian regime remains after the war and the infrastructure has also been destroyed, conditions will become even worse than before the protests and the war.

29 U.S. Figures Back NCRI Interim Government

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), led by Maryam Rajavi, has emphasized for the past 20 years that the solution for Iran is neither appeasement nor war with this regime, but rather recognizing the legitimate resistance of the Iranian people against it.

The Iranian regime will not be overthrown by aerial bombardment, and the only solution for the Middle East is to support the people of Iran and arm the opposition to this regime.

Iran’s Regime Executes Two PMOI Prisoners Following Earlier Hangings of Four Others

Mehdi Hosseini
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Iran’s Regime Executes Two PMOI Prisoners Following Earlier Hangings of Four Others

Iranian authorities have carried out the executions of two political prisoners identified as members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), Vahid Bani Amerian and Abolhassan Montazer, in what marks the latest development in a rapidly escalating wave of executions targeting political detainees. The hangings followed closely on the heels of the execution of four other PMOI members during a 48-hour period on March 30 and 31, underscoring the speed and scale of the current campaign.

According to the provided report, the executions of Bani Amerian and Montazer came immediately after the deaths of Mohammad Taghavi, Akbar Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, and Pouya Ghobadi. The sequence of six executions within days has drawn renewed attention to the treatment of political prisoners in Iran and the use of capital punishment in politically sensitive cases.

Iran's regime executed 6 PMOI members this week
Iran’s regime executed 6 PMOI members this week

State-affiliated media sought to frame the case as a national security matter. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-linked Tasnim News Agency described the two men as part of a “terrorist team,” stating that they had been convicted on charges of baghi—armed rebellion—and actions against internal security. The regime claimed that Montazer had allegedly used cryptocurrency to rent safe houses and assemble explosives, while Bani Amerian was reportedly arrested in possession of four rocket launchers. Tasnim also linked Montazer to Mohammad Taghavi, one of the four PMOI members executed days earlier.

Abolhassan Montazer, 66, was described as an architect and a former political prisoner from the 1980s. Vahid Bani Amerian, 33, held a master’s degree in management and had reportedly spent four years in prison since 2017. Their cases reflect both generational continuity and the persistence of long-running confrontations between the Iranian state and organized opposition networks.

The legal process leading to the executions were deeply irregular. Following their arrests in January 2024, both men were reportedly held for months in Ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin Prison, where they were subjected to severe physical and psychological pressure. These measures were used to extract forced confessions.

Their death sentences were later issued by Judge Iman Afshari of Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. During a retrial on November 16, 2025, defense lawyers reportedly requested that all six co-defendants be tried together. That request was denied, and instead separate hearings were held for each defendant, each lasting only a few minutes. Iran’s Supreme Court subsequently upheld the sentences in December 2025.

The final days before the executions were also marked by reports of heightened prison pressure. On the night of March 29, anti-riot guards allegedly raided Ward 4 of Ghezel Hesar prison, where Bani Amerian and Montazer were being held. Political prisoners in the ward were beaten, and all phone lines were cut, leaving detainees without contact with the outside world shortly before the executions began.

The hangings proceeded despite mounting international concern. Amnesty International had warned days earlier that both prisoners were at imminent risk of execution following a “grossly unfair torture-tainted trial,” while also noting that authorities had concealed their whereabouts from family members.

Political reactions also emerged from the United States and Europe. U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman, who said the men were executed after torture and a sham trial. U.S. Representative Laura Friedman described the timing as an acceleration of repression during ongoing conflict, while UK MP Jim Shannon called the executions a moral outrage. Members of the European Parliament, including Petras Auštrevičius and Milan Zver, similarly warned of a broader pattern involving PMOI-affiliated prisoners.

The timing of the executions is especially notable within the broader political context outlined in the report. The hangings follow months of domestic unrest, including nationwide uprisings between December 2025 and January 2026, and come amid continued instability after the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a February 28 airstrike. Within this setting, the executions are part of a rapidly unfolding sequence of state actions inside the prison system, particularly against detainees accused of links to organized opposition groups.

There is also concern about additional prisoners facing similar charges of baghi, suggesting that more executions may be imminent. The combination of communication blackouts, rapid legal proceedings, prison raids, and closely timed executions has intensified scrutiny from observers concerned about the fate of other political detainees.

This case offers a stark window into the current intersection of domestic unrest, prison policy, and the judiciary’s handling of opposition-linked cases. With six PMOI prisoners executed in a matter of days, this pattern is likely to continue and the response of international institutions will be pivotal to saving the lives of political prisoners.

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