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Iranian Regime Executes Two More Protesters from the January Uprising

Jubin Katiraie
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Iranian Regime Executes Two More Protesters from the January Uprising

State-run media in Iran reported on Tuesday, July 28, that the Iranian regime had carried out the executions of Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi in connection with the January 2026 protests in Malek Shahr, a district of Isfahan.

With these executions, four of the 12 defendants in this case in Isfahan have now been executed.

News of the executions of these two additional defendants in the so-called Alikhani Square case in Isfahan was released as numerous messages and videos on social media showed overnight gatherings of people protesting the executions, coinciding with the dawn call to prayer.

The state-run Fars News Agency and Mehr News Agency published identical reports stating that the executions were carried out publicly in Alikhani Square.

Iranian Regime Executes Two Defendants in Isfahan Protests

State-run media, including the Mizan News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s judiciary, identified the two men as “among those responsible for the killing of four Law Enforcement Command officers” in Isfahan’s “Alikhani Square” and claimed that during the January 8 protests they had “injured and set these officers on fire.”

The case relates to the events of January 8 in the area around Ali Khani Square, where officials of the Iranian regime said that four members of the Basij paramilitary force and the Special Units police were killed.

Following those deaths, 59 people were arrested in Isfahan, and a large criminal case was opened against them.

Meanwhile, several citizen reports and videos posted on social media early Tuesday showed large numbers of people gathering in streets near the execution site to protest the executions, amid a heavy security presence and heightened tensions.

Some of the videos show and capture protesters chanting “Shameless, shameless” while the dawn call to prayer was broadcast during the executions, as security forces rode motorcycles through the crowd.

Reports have also circulated on social media of clashes between protesters and the Special Units police at the site, as well as internet disruptions across Isfahan. Radio Farda said it could not independently verify these reports.

The executions were carried out early Tuesday, July 28, 2026, just hours after Mai Sato, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, announced that a group of UN experts had urged the Iranian regime to immediately revoke the death sentences of the remaining 10 young men charged in this case in Isfahan.

Earlier, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran had also called on the Iranian judiciary to halt the executions of protesters arrested during the January demonstrations, including the defendants in this case.

The 12 protesters arrested in Isfahan, who were in their late teens or early twenties at the time of their arrests, were sentenced to death in a closed-door mass trial. Before the two men executed on Tuesday morning, two others—Gol Mohammad Mohammadi and Erfan Esfandiari—were executed on July 19.

According to experts, the defendants’ closed-door mass trial violated fair trial standards. They say the death sentences were based on forced confessions broadcast on state television, while the charges and individual criminal responsibility of each defendant were not clearly established.

‘No to Executions Tuesdays’ Campaign Marks 131st Week Across Iran

Sia Rajabi
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‘No to Executions Tuesdays’ Campaign Marks 131st Week Across Iran

On Tuesday, July 28, the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign entered its 131st week. In a statement reaffirming its commitment to continuing the protests, the campaign announced that it was honoring the memory of its executed members, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani.

The statement also condemned the continued executions of political prisoners and called on the international community to respond appropriately to the ongoing crimes committed by the Iranian regime. The campaign’s statement reads as follows:

Continuation of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign in its 131st week across 59 prisons

The “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign commemorates the anniversary of the executions of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, two political prisoners and members of the campaign. On July 26, 2025, during a raid by prison guards on the political prisoners’ ward at Ghezel Hesar Prison, the two men were beaten and transferred for execution. Other political prisoners in the ward were also subjected to a brutal assault, and their families still do not know where they were buried.

Global Condemnation of the Execution of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani

The regime of the Supreme Leader’s rule continues to ignore protests against executions, erecting gallows every day and taking the lives of citizens.

During the past week, in addition to dozens of prisoners convicted of ordinary crimes, political prisoner Mehdi Khanaki was also hanged in complete secrecy and without receiving the right to a fair trial.

Iran’s Regime Executes PMOI Member for Participating in January Uprising

As part of the same wave of repression, death sentences have also been issued against political prisoners Isa Chari, Amirhassan Akbari Monfared, Sepehr Amirzadeh, Akbar Arabzadeh, and Mehdi Arabzadeh. The number of executions since March 22, the beginning of the Iranian calendar year, has reached at least 303.

Iran’s Regime Escalates Death Sentences and Pressure Against Political Prisoners

Among the international reactions to the executions and death sentences, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran warned this week about the death sentences imposed on prisoners in the so-called “Ali Khani Square” case in Isfahan and called for them to be halted.

The European Union has also sanctioned five judges involved in issuing death sentences and other inhumane punishments. The judges are:

Mostafa Narimani, Head of Branch Three of the Revolutionary Court in Karaj.

Abolfazl Ameri Shahrabi, Head of Branch 1191 of Tehran Criminal Court Two.

Mehdi Rasekhi, Judge of Branch Three of the Revolutionary Court in Rasht.

Mohammad Reza Amouzad, Head of Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court and associate judge of Branch 15 of the same court.

Mohammad Reza Tavakkoli, Head of Branch One of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan.

In another protest campaign, the strike by 1,500 prisoners in Unit Two of Ghezel Hesar Prison has continued for two weeks. However, prison authorities and no other officials in this execution-driven regime have responded to their demands.

Hunger Strike By 1,500 Death Row Prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison Marks 15th Day

The “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign stands alongside the prisoners of Unit Two, supports their legitimate demands and strike, and calls on people of conscience and the international community to be the voice of these prisoners and all those sentenced to death.

In hope of freedom and equality for Iran’s oppressed and resilient people.

Members of the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign are on a hunger strike on Tuesday, July 28, during the campaign’s 131st week in 59 prisons across the country.

Iranian Regime Proxy Forces Face Decline After War with United States

Mehdi Hosseini
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Iranian Regime Proxy Forces Face Decline After War with United States

For years, one of the favorite expressions used by officials of the Iranian regime was “strategic depth.” The argument was straightforward: if the Iranian regime was to be defended, it was better to do so not at Iran’s borders but hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away.

The result of this policy was the creation of a network stretching from Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad to Iran-backed militias in Iraq, the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and the Houthis in Yemen. The Iranian regime called this network the “Axis of Resistance” and presented it as one of the most important symbols of its regional power.

Saudi-Led Coalition Bombs Hodeidah Port Are in Escalation of Clashes with Tehran-Backed Houthis

But the map that once stretched from Tehran to the Mediterranean is no longer what it used to be.

Developments following October 7, the Gaza war, the blows inflicted on Hezbollah, the fall of Bashar al-Assad, and mounting pressure on armed groups in Iraq have, one after another, placed every link of this chain under strain.

A Blow to Hezbollah, the Regime’s Primary Ally

The developments in Gaza and Lebanon dealt a blow to Hezbollah, which for Tehran was not merely a regional ally but the Iranian regime’s most important and best-equipped military arm near Israel.

The group has now suffered military setbacks and is also facing growing domestic pressure in Lebanon to disarm. The issue of placing weapons under the control of the Lebanese government is no longer a marginal topic.

For Tehran, the weakening of Hezbollah means losing part of the deterrence capability it built over decades at enormous cost.

The main blow, however, came elsewhere: Syria.

The fall of Bashar al-Assad may be the most significant development affecting the future of the Iranian regime’s “strategic depth.”

Throughout these years, Syria was more than just an ally of Tehran. Its territory served as the link connecting Iraq to Lebanon and as the primary route for supporting Hezbollah. For this reason, preserving Assad’s rule was far more important to the Iranian regime than simply maintaining a friendly government.

With his fall, one of the most important links in the Tehran-Baghdad-Damascus-Beirut corridor disappeared.

This cannot be viewed merely as a change of government in Damascus. Tehran has lost one of its principal logistical and political routes to the eastern Mediterranean, making the transfer of equipment and support to Lebanon far more difficult than before.

Iraq: The Next Link?

It is still too early to speak of the end of the Iranian regime’s influence in Iraq. Armed groups aligned with Tehran continue to possess military strength, weapons, and political influence. However, conditions there have also changed.

Pressure on the Iraqi government to restrict the activities of armed groups and bring their weapons under official state institutions has increased. The United States has also intensified economic pressure on financial networks linked to some Tehran-backed groups.

Some of these groups have entered negotiations over surrendering or limiting their weapons, while others continue to resist.

Therefore, Iraq has not yet been lost to Tehran, but it is no longer the low-cost backyard it once was.

Yemen: A Proxy That Still Functions

The Houthis are in a different situation. They still retain the ability to attack shipping lanes, regional facilities, and create crises in the Red Sea. They too have suffered devastating blows during recent developments, and years of blockade have weakened their capabilities. Nevertheless, it is not possible to place all of the Iranian regime’s proxy groups in the same category. Tehran’s problem is that the Houthis cannot replace Syria or Lebanon.

The Houthis can create crises in the Red Sea, but they cannot restore the missing link between Tehran, Baghdad, Damascus, and Beirut. That is the crucial difference between today’s situation and that of just a few years ago.

The War That Was Never Supposed to Reach Tehran

The logic of “strategic depth” was to keep war away from Iran’s borders. The regime invested heavily to ensure that battlefronts remained in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen—a strategy repeatedly emphasized by Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei in speeches over recent years. Yet, in the end, exactly what this strategy was designed to prevent occurred: war reached Iran itself, and that war was not only fought in the skies but also in the streets of Iranian cities as the people confronted the regime.

This has happened at a time when the regime no longer enjoys the domestic conditions it once did. The consequences of the January 2026 uprising, the economic crisis, widespread public discontent, and the regime’s lack of legitimacy are weighing heavily alongside external pressure on Tehran.

What has clearly changed is the cohesion and strength of the network that the Iranian regime built over four decades and regarded as its defensive shield.

Syria has been removed from this chain, Hezbollah has suffered severe blows, and the future of Iran-backed groups in Iraq is also under growing pressure.

Migration from Southern Iran in the Shadow of the Iranian Regime’s Warmongering

Jubin Katiraie
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Migration from Southern Iran in the Shadow of the Iranian Regime’s Warmongering

The migration and displacement of people from cities in southern Iran is one of the consequences of the war that has affected the lives of millions of people in recent weeks. Some media outlets have compared the current situation to the mass displacement of people from southern and western Iran during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War.

During that period, thousands of families in Khuzestan Province and other war-affected regions abandoned their homes and moved to safer areas. Now, nearly four decades after the end of that war, the same sense of fear has once again fallen over southern Iran. This time, in addition to the threat of war, people are also struggling with economic hardship, temperatures exceeding 50°C (122°F), and repeated water and electricity outages.

A war that may serve the Iranian regime as a means to further securitize society and intensify repression has a very different meaning for the people of southern Iran: concern for their lives, homes, jobs, and future.

Prospect of Renewed U.S.-Iranian Regime Talks Drives Oil Prices Lower

The Return of Painful War Memories

On July 16, the state-run news website Fararu published a report titled “The Return of War to the Memory of Cities; Residents of Abadan and Ahvaz Recall the Return of Fear and Wartime Memories,” examining the resurgence of memories from the eight-year Iran-Iraq War among people in southern Iran.

The report describes today’s conditions as “an echo of the days of the eight-year war,” a conflict whose scars remain visible in war-affected cities, from “mine warning signs” to “shrapnel embedded in walls.”

This time, however, another factor has heightened public concern: the proximity of some military bases and facilities to residential areas. The tragic incident involving a school in Minab and the exposure of civilians to the consequences of military attacks have increased concerns about the safety of ordinary people.

Life, Livelihood, or Migration?

For many people, leaving their city is not easy, even if they wish to do so. What should a family do if it has no car, cannot afford to rent a home in another city, or has no relatives or acquaintances in other provinces if the danger escalates?

Water and electricity outages during the extreme southern heat have further worsened the situation, especially for families with children or elderly members.

On July 19, the state-run newspaper Shargh addressed the same issue, writing that the shadow of war and fears of displacement have spread across regions that were already suffering from economic hardship, poor living conditions, and inadequate infrastructure.

For many people in southern Iran, the issue is no longer simply choosing whether to stay or leave; it has become a choice between survival, livelihood, and displacement.

“Where Should We Go?”

In another report published on July 21 titled “What Is Happening in the South? Where Should I Go?”, Fararu voiced the concerns of local residents, asking: “Is the city going to be emptied? Where should we go?”

The outlet writes: “No one understands the condition of the south except the people of the south.”

If people are forced to leave their cities and have no relatives or place to stay in another province, where should they go? How will they cover their living expenses? What will happen to their jobs and their children’s education? At the same time, the war has also disrupted many businesses.

Under these circumstances, Alireza Noura, deputy governor of Sistan and Baluchestan Province and special governor of Chabahar, announced that no official order had been issued to evacuate Chabahar. However, official assurances that conditions are normal have done little to ease the concerns of people who are already experiencing the effects of the war in their daily lives.

“Life on Hold” in Southern Iran

Euronews also examined the situation in Iran’s southern provinces in a report published on July 19 titled “Hostages of Geography: The Lives of 11 Million Civilians in Southern Iran Trapped by Warmongering.”

The report describes the situation as a “life on hold,” stating that the war has disrupted normal life across four southern provinces—regions that are simultaneously facing water shortages, electricity outages, extreme heat, and economic difficulties.

Not everyone in southern Iran has left, and many do not want to abandon their homes and cities. The concern is that if conditions deteriorate further, a large portion of these residents will have no clear or safe alternative.

People who have had no role in the Iranian regime’s military or regional decision-making are now paying the price with their security, livelihoods, and future.

Prospect of Renewed U.S.-Iranian Regime Talks Drives Oil Prices Lower

Mehdi Hosseini
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Prospect of Renewed U.S.-Iranian Regime Talks Drives Oil Prices Lower

Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in an interview with Austria’s state broadcaster that indirect contacts between Tehran and Washington are continuing, with mediators including Pakistan and Qatar facilitating the exchange of messages between the two sides.

Baghaei said, “The Americans are exchanging messages with us, and under the current circumstances, mediators, including Pakistan and Qatar, are active and are conveying messages between the parties.”

He also stressed that the existence of an appropriate framework is essential before any talks can begin, claiming that the United States has undermined such a framework.

Three European Embassies in Tehran Evacuate Staff Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

Baghaei also claimed: “Negotiations aimed at dictating or imposing demands will certainly not be acceptable to us.”

His remarks came after he also stated on Sunday, without providing details, that there had been “progress” in discussions and exchanges between Tehran and Muscat, the capital of Oman.

His comments followed the departure of an Omani delegation from Iran on Saturday evening after it had traveled to Tehran for consultations regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil Prices Fall More Than 5% Amid Hopes for Continued Talks

As speculation grew over the possibility of continued negotiations between the Iranian regime and the United States, and after two consecutive nights without a U.S. military strike on Iran, oil prices fell by more than 5% at the opening of Monday’s trading in Asian markets.

In Monday morning trading, the price of Brent crude fell by 5.58% to $91.38 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude also declined by 5.46%, reaching $84.43 per barrel.

Hunger Strike By 1,500 Death Row Prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison Marks 15th Day

Hoshang Amiri
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Hunger Strike By 1,500 Death Row Prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison Marks 15th Day

The hunger strike by approximately 1,500 death row prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison entered its fifteenth day on Monday. Reports and videos released from inside the prison indicate the deteriorating physical condition of a number of the strikers, as well as the continued inattention of officials from Iran’s judiciary and prison authorities to their health and demands.

Deteriorating Health Conditions and Continued Inaction by Iranian Regime Officials

The prisoners’ hunger strike, which began in protest against the continued implementation of death sentences, has continued despite more than two weeks having passed. According to the prisoners, no effective action has been taken so far to address either their demands or the physical condition of the hunger strikers.

Collective Hunger Strike at Ghezel Hesar Prison Calls for Halt to Executions

In one of the videos released from inside Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison, a prisoner says that despite 15 days of hunger strike, none of the officials from Iran’s Judiciary or prison administrators have visited the ward to assess the condition of the strikers.

Informed sources have also reported worsening physical problems among many of the prisoners. Severe weakness, low blood pressure, weight loss, fatigue, dizziness, and reduced physical strength are among the reported symptoms. Some of the hunger strikers have largely lost the ability to carry out their daily activities due to the prolonged strike.

According to these sources, despite the prisoners’ deteriorating health, no independent medical team has been sent to examine them. Prison authorities and the prison infirmary have also failed to take effective action to address the condition of the hunger strikers. The prisoners have warned that the continuation of this situation could place the health and lives of many of them at serious risk.

Hunger Strike in Protest to Executions; Concerns Raised by Families and Human Rights Organizations

The hunger strike by prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison began in protest against the continued implementation of death sentences and the transfer of death row prisoners to solitary confinement for execution. The protest initially started in Unit 2 and later expanded through prisoner sit-ins, the publication of protest messages, the display of the slogan “No to Executions,” and even the sewing shut of the lips of several prisoners—an action that received widespread coverage in the media and among human rights activists.

Videos released from inside the prison show that the prisoners continue to insist on maintaining their hunger strike until their demands are met. At the same time, the prisoners’ families and human rights organizations have expressed concern over the health of the hunger strikers and warned that continuing the strike without access to adequate medical care could have irreversible consequences. The prisoners have also stressed that the purpose of their action is to protest the continued implementation of death sentences and to demand fair judicial review of the cases of those sentenced to death.

Retirees Protest Across Iran Against Poverty, War, and Executions

Sia Rajabi
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Retirees Protest Across Iran Against Poverty, War, and Executions

On Sunday, July 26, retirees covered by Iran’s Social Security Organization held simultaneous protest gatherings in Tehran, Ahvaz, Kermanshah, and Shush to demonstrate against deteriorating living conditions, rising inflation, soaring prices, declining purchasing power, inadequate healthcare, and what they described as the violation of their rights. In some cities, protesters also chanted slogans expressing opposition to warmongering, death sentences, and the arrest of labor and civil activists.

Tehran: “Our Salaries Are in Rials, Our Expenses Are in Dollars”

A group of Social Security retirees gathered outside the headquarters of the Social Security Organization in Tehran, protesting difficult economic conditions and the continuous decline in purchasing power while demanding that their grievances be addressed.

Protests Expand Across Iranian Cities, From Retirees and Workers to Students and Bakers

Chanting “Our salaries are in rials, our expenses are in dollars,” the protesters stressed that the constant rise in the prices of goods and services has created severe hardships for a large number of retirees.

Ahvaz: Protest Over Living Conditions in Extreme Heat

In Ahvaz, Social Security retirees also gathered outside the Khuzestan Provincial Social Security Office despite the extreme heat.

Protesting economic conditions, inflation, and living hardships, demonstrators chanted slogans including “Wealthy Iran, what has an incompetent official done to you?” and “Enough warmongering, our tables are empty.” They called for improved living conditions and pensions that reflect the actual cost of living.

Kermanshah: Protest Against War, Inflation, and Death Sentences

Social Security retirees in Kermanshah also gathered outside the city’s Social Security Office. In addition to protesting living conditions, inflation, war, and healthcare issues, they expressed support for prisoners sentenced to death.

Participants chanted slogans including “From Isfahan to Tehran, against the death sentence” and “Against the death sentence, we will stand until the end.”

The retirees also voiced their demands through slogans such as “Inflation, high prices, no to war and destruction,” “So much oppression and injustice has driven us into the streets,” “Unity, unity against poverty and corruption,” “Healthcare should be free, but it has become paid, my friends,”

“Imprisoned workers must be freed” and “Imprisoned teachers must be freed.”

Shush: Commitment to Continue Protests Until Demands Are Met

Social Security retirees in Shush also held a protest gathering, emphasizing that they would continue pursuing their labor-related and economic demands.

Chanting “Only in the streets will we win our rights,” the protesters declared that they would continue their demonstrations until their demands are fulfilled.

In their statement and slogans, the retirees in Shush presented a range of economic and social demands, including wage increases in line with the cost of living, controlling inflation and rising prices, creating employment opportunities, regulating housing rents, providing free education and healthcare, guaranteeing the right to protest and strike, releasing detained protesters, ending the security crackdown, combating corruption, eliminating discrimination, and ensuring the fair distribution of wealth

The simultaneous protests by retirees in four cities took place as demonstrations over living conditions, declining purchasing power, inflation, and rising prices have become an ongoing demand of retirees and other salaried groups across different cities in Iran in recent months.

Saudi-Led Coalition Bombs Hodeidah Port Are in Escalation of Clashes with Tehran-Backed Houthis

Mehdi Hosseini
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Saudi-Led Coalition Bombs Hodeidah Port Are in Escalation of Clashes with Tehran-Backed Houthis

Yemen’s Houthis announced on the morning of Saturday, July 25, that they had carried out a missile attack on Saudi Arabia, just hours after Saudi Arabia targeted the group’s positions in response to Houthi attacks on Saudi vessels.

The attacks came several days after the Iranian regime-backed Houthis announced the imposition of a “naval blockade” against Saudi Arabia and subsequently attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.

The escalation has heightened concerns about the opening of a new front in the regional conflict and further disruptions to global oil shipping routes.

The Houthi-affiliated Ansar Allah media outlet reported early Saturday that a “missile attack” had caused a fire in the city of Jizan in southern Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea coast.

Saudi Arabia has not yet confirmed the claim. However, the Saudi Civil Defense Authority briefly warned residents of Jizan and Yanbu early Saturday of a “potential danger” before canceling the alerts a few minutes later.

UK Designates Iran Regime’s IRGC as a Terrorist Organization

Similar warnings have been issued in the past when missiles or drones were launched toward Saudi Arabia.

The alleged Houthi attack came after the Saudi-led coalition announced on Friday that it had struck the group’s military positions in Yemen and destroyed targets that had been used to threaten commercial shipping.

The Houthis described the Saudi strikes as a “dangerous escalation” and warned that Riyadh’s actions “will not go unanswered.”

From Declaring a “Blockade” to Attacking Oil Tankers

The Houthis announced last Monday that they had imposed a “naval blockade” against Saudi Arabia, citing the principle of “an eye for an eye.”

The group described the move as a response to what it called Saudi Arabia’s “blockade” of Yemen over nearly the past 12 years.

In a radio broadcast directed at ships, the Houthis also warned that they would target vessels “belonging to the Saudi enemy” that failed to comply with the declared blockade.

The group also said early Thursday that it had targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia confirmed that one vessel belonging to a Saudi company had been targeted. The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official from the country’s transport authority, reported that a ship was struck while sailing in the Red Sea. Its hull sustained minor damage, but it was able to continue its voyage.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned following the Houthi attacks that Washington would hold the Iranian regime responsible for any future attacks by the group and threatened both Iran and the Houthis with “military punishment” if the attacks continued.

Houthis: We Will Not Close the Bab al-Mandab Strait

Despite declaring a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, the Houthis say they do not intend to completely halt ship traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Houthi spokesperson and one of the group’s senior negotiators, said on Friday, July 24, “Contrary to what some claim, Bab al-Mandab has not been closed.”

He stressed that the blockade declared by the group targets “only the Saudi side.”

The statement came after several Iranian regime military officials, during and after the 40-day war with the United States and Israel, had threatened that the Houthis might intervene on Iran’s behalf and close the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Despite the Houthis’ insistence that the strait remains open, the recent attacks have affected the behavior of shipping companies. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), at least nine ships have changed course since the blockade against Saudi Arabia was announced.

Reuters also reported that the Houthi attacks forced several oil tankers to alter their routes and head north toward the Suez Canal. To reach Asia, these vessels would have to take the much longer route around Africa.

The Red Sea’s Growing Importance Amid Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz

The escalating tensions in the Red Sea have become even more significant as oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has declined sharply due to the war between Iran and the United States.

To reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia transports part of its oil by pipeline to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast. As a result, the Red Sea route has played an increasingly important role in the kingdom’s oil exports in recent months.

Iranian Regime Replaces Essential Goods with Non-Essential Items in Subsidized Voucher Program

Hoshang Amiri
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Iranian Regime Replaces Essential Goods with Non-Essential Items in Subsidized Voucher Program

Peyman Falsafi, a member of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), said the government, instead of increasing the rial value of the electronic subsidy voucher, has expanded the number of eligible products from the original 11 items to dozens of products, to the point that even pizza cheese and, “in some places, bottled water is also offered.”

Falsafi, a member of the Majlis Agriculture Committee, told the state-run ILNA news agency on Saturday, July 25, that rising prices for red meat, chicken, and dairy products have forced some households to remove these goods from their shopping baskets, while non-essential items have taken a larger share of purchases made with the subsidy voucher.

The remarks come as the monthly voucher credit remains at 1 million tomans (10 million rials, approximately $5.20) per person. However, according to calculations based on official prices published by the Statistical Center of Iran, the cost of purchasing the program’s original basket of 11 essential goods had reached about 5.4 million tomans (54 million rials, approximately $28.40) per person in June.

Iran’s Economy on the Brink of Hyperinflation

As a result, the voucher’s value of 1 million tomans (10 million rials) now covers less than one-fifth of the cost of the same basket with which the program was originally launched.

Under the revised voucher program, which took effect in January, each person was allocated a monthly credit of 1 million tomans (10 million rials).

The original basket included 11 items, including rice, cooking oil, red meat, chicken, eggs, legumes, milk, yogurt, and cheese. The program’s stated objective was to help households maintain their purchasing power for essential goods.

Falsafi said the law does not specify a fixed number of products but instead emphasizes providing 2,640 calories of nutritional needs. He said the government initially selected 11 essential goods to meet that objective.

According to him, the range of eligible products has now expanded considerably, and by doing so the government has “avoided the real issue.”

He added that under such circumstances, a person who realizes the voucher credit is insufficient to buy meat may choose not to purchase it and instead spend the credit on other goods.

One Million Tomans Versus a Basket Costing at Least Five Million

According to calculations based on data from the Statistical Center of Iran, the cost of purchasing the voucher basket’s 11 main items for each person was about 4.58 million tomans (45.8 million rials) in March 2026. The figure rose to about 5.3 million tomans (53 million rials) in April and May, and to approximately 5.4 million tomans (54 million rials) in June.

This means that between March and June alone, the cost of the basket increased by nearly 18%, while the voucher credit of 1 million tomans (10 million rials) remained unchanged.

For a family of four, the monthly voucher credit amounts to 4 million tomans (40 million rials), while the cost of purchasing the full basket based on June prices exceeded 21 million tomans (210 million rials, approximately $110).

Price increases for some essential items have been significantly higher. According to data from the Statistical Center of Iran, compared with the previous month, prices in January rose by more than 77% for liquid cooking oil, nearly 79% for solid cooking oil, about 49% for eggs, more than 37% for imported rice, and 29% for chicken.

During the same month, cheese prices increased by more than 17%, beef and veal by 16%, lamb by about 15%, and milk by more than 11%.

Food prices continued to rise in subsequent months, and by March 2026 the prices of some items had increased several-fold compared with a year earlier. Annual price increases included about three-and-a-half times for solid cooking oil, more than three times for liquid cooking oil, and more than double for imported rice.

The head of the Majlis Dynamic Agriculture and Nomadic Affairs Caucus also pointed to another problem in implementing the program, saying that some stores have refused to provide goods to voucher holders because the government has not settled payments owed to them.

At the same time as the lawmaker’s remarks, the government announced on Saturday, July 25, 2026, that it currently has no plans to increase the value of the subsidy voucher.

Iranian Regime Official Killed While Preparing to Suppress Protests

Mehdi Hosseini
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Iranian Regime Official Killed While Preparing to Suppress Protests

The state-run Nour News, a media outlet close to the slain Ali Shamkhani, revealed that the meeting in which he and several senior Iranian regime military commanders were killed on the first day of the 40-day war had been convened, among other purposes, to follow up on a new plan aimed at organizing forces and procuring new equipment to confront protests.

The outlet wrote on Friday, July 24, that one of the two agenda items for the morning meeting on February 28, 2026, was to follow up on the implementation of the plan for “organizing resources, structures, personnel, and procuring new equipment for managing unrest.” The second agenda item was reportedly to examine the imminent possibility of a U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran.

According to Nour News, the plan was drafted after the widespread January protests, and Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader of the Iranian regime, had approved its implementation and emphasized accelerating its execution.

The report also states that Khamenei had instructed the Secretariat of the Defense Council and Ali Shamkhani personally, rather than the Supreme National Security Council, to oversee the implementation of the plan through to its execution.

EU Sanctions Hossein Shamkhani: A Blow to the Oil and Weapons Network of Iran’s Regime and Russia

Ali Shamkhani, who served as secretary of the Iranian regime’s Supreme National Security Council from 2013 to 2023, was appointed secretary of the newly established Defense Council after it was formed in 2025.

Nour News claimed that the purpose of the plan was to increase the preparedness of security and law enforcement forces to confront future protests with “the least possible damage and human casualties.”

During the January protests, Iran’s regime carried out the bloodiest crackdown on protests in its history through widespread internet shutdowns and the use of lethal force.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have documented the widespread use of live ammunition against protesters, and Iranian regime officials themselves confirmed that at least 3,117 people were killed during the protests. The real figure is estimated to be much higher.

In another part of its report, Nour News revealed for the first time that Shahid Meysami Industries, affiliated with the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Defense and targeted by Israel during the 12-day war, was responsible for designing and producing equipment used to control gatherings and protests.

According to Nour News, the facility’s primary mission was to develop tools that would enable the management of protests without the use of lethal weapons.

At the time of the attack on the facility, Iranian regime officials had provided no explanation as to why it had been targeted, and the nature of its activities had not been officially disclosed. This is the first time that a media outlet close to the regime has publicly described the facility’s mission.

The protests that began on December 28, 2025, initially erupted in response to the collapse of the rial’s value, inflation, and the cost-of-living crisis, and quickly spread to dozens of cities. Within a short time, protesters’ slogans began targeting the Iranian regime and Ali Khamenei personally.

Contrary to the official figures released by Iran’s regime regarding protesters killed, some human rights organizations estimated the death toll at between five thousand and six thousand people.

Like other Iranian regime media outlets and officials, Nour News also claimed that the January protests were part of a foreign plot and a prelude to a U.S. and Israeli military attack, even though Iranian regime officials have consistently blamed anti-government protests on foreign governments.

According to the Nour News report, the Defense Council’s subcommittee meeting, chaired by Shamkhani, was reviewing this plan as well as the possibility of an imminent U.S. and Israeli attack when the first wave of strikes in the 40-day war began.

Ali Shamkhani was killed on the morning of February 28 during that very meeting, along with several senior Iranian regime commanders, in a joint U.S.-Israeli attack.

Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian regime’s foreign minister, recently said that on February 28, when the joint Israeli-U.S. attack on Iran began, in addition to the office of Ali Khamenei, the offices of Ali Shamkhani, Mohammad Shirazi—both senior military officials—and Ali Asghar Hejazi, a senior security official and close aide to Khamenei, were also targeted. Of those targeted, only Hejazi survived.

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