CCTV Video Shows Woman Kicked And Beaten By Iranian Security Forces
Video footage has emerged on social media that appears to show a woman in Iran being kicked and beaten by security forces on January 8. More than 5,800 deaths in a brutal crackdown on nationwide protests have been verified, according to the US-based human rights agency HRANA. But one report indicates the real number may exceed 30,000. (WARNING: Viewers may find the content of this video disturbing)
Internet Blackout Costing Iran's Economy $36 Million A Day, Says Official
The ongoing Internet and telecommunications blackout across Iran is costing the Iranian economy as much as 50 trillion rials ($35.7 million) a day, according to an Iranian official.
In an article published on January 26, Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi was quoted by Etemad Online as saying, "Estimates show that the average resilience of Internet companies and businesses is about 20 days, and the country is approaching this point."
Hashemi did not specify his source for this estimate or the criteria for measuring the "resilience" of businesses against Internet shutdowns.
Ali Hakim Javadi, the head of the country's Computer Guild Organization, said on January 25 that the economic toll from the shutdown was between 20 trillion and 20 trillion rials a day.
Meanwhile, many business owners have spoken out on social media about the overwhelming pressure of this outage, and a significant number have reported the "destruction" of their businesses or having to file bankruptcy.
January 26 marks with the 18th day of Internet blackout in Iran, which the authorities instituted as part of their crackdown on mass protests that spread throughout the country. The wave of protests began at Tehran's bazaars on December 28 as a criticism of the economic situation.
The policies of the Islamic republic over the past three weeks have not only hindered people's ability to make money but have also led to the increased prices of basic goods.
Likelihood Of US Strikes On Iran 'Very High' Amid Military Buildup, Drills
The United States is deploying jet fighters, air defenses, and an air carrier with thousands of troops to the Middle East, in a move that has heightened tensions with Iran and increased the likelihood of military action, experts say.
US President Donald Trump threatened military strikes against Iran after the authorities killed thousands of people in a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. Trump recently backed away, although he has not ruled out an attack on the Islamic republic.
Experts say the military buildup along with planned US naval exercises in the region increases the pressure on Iran and provides more offensive military options if Washington chooses to attack Iran.
"This can be a message to Iran that we're ready, our capabilities are in place," Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
To read the full report by RFE/RL's Kian Sharifi and Radio Farda, click here.
UAE Says It Won't Allow Its Airspace For Military Action Against Iran
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it will not allow its airspace, territory, or waters to be used for any military actions against Iran.
The Foreign Ministry's statement on January 26 comes after Washington said it was sending a "massive fleet" to the Middle East "just in case" following weeks of unrest in Iran. US President Donald Trump has said he'd "rather not see anything happen" but has also kept open the possibility of military intervention.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has reaffirmed the United Arab Emirates' commitment to not allowing its airspace, territory, or waters to be used in any hostile military actions against Iran, and to not providing any logistical support in this regard," the statement from the ministry said.
"The ministry reiterated the UAE's belief that dialogue, de-escalation, adherence to international law, and respect for state sovereignty constitute the most effective foundations for addressing current crises, underscoring the UAE's approach of resolving disputes through diplomatic means."
An X post today from Fox News's chief national security correspondent.
Sanctioned Iranian Banker Built Vast European Property Empire, FT Reports
Ali Ansari, an Iranian banker and businessman recently sanctioned by Britain, has built a European property empire worth about 400 million euros (around $435 million) over recent years, according to the Financial Times.
The London-based daily reports that Ansari, whose family founded the collapsed Ayandeh Bank, is accused by UK authorities of using this financial institution to channel funds to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
After the bank’s collapse late last year, Britain sanctioned Ansari for financing what it called “hostile activity” by the IRGC and froze London assets valued at more than £150 million (around $204 million).
The FT said the collapse of Ayandeh Bank exacerbated Iran’s economic downturn, helping fuel protests this month that culminated in the deadliest violence since the 1979 revolution, with thousands of people killed, according to human rights groups.
According to the newspaper, Ansari controls a portfolio of luxury properties through a network of shell companies spanning Luxembourg, St. Kitts and Nevis, Germany, Austria, and Spain.
The holdings include a 164-room hotel and golf resort in Mallorca valued at about 22 million euros (roughly $26 million), a stake in a hotel in the Austrian Alps, two Hilton hotels in Frankfurt each valued at about 80 million euros (around $94 million), and a shopping center in Germany worth roughly 68 million euros (about $80 million).
The report said Ansari holds Iranian, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Cypriot passports and is not currently under EU sanctions, though European officials say the bloc is considering further measures against Iran.
Ansari’s lawyer denied any financial links to the IRGC and said his client intends to challenge the UK sanctions.
Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani says the losses suffered by Iran's civilian population in the protest crackdown "demand a clear response."
Consequently, in coordination with others at the upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on January 29, he says he will propose "the inclusion of the Revolutionary Guards on the list of terrorist organizations as well as individual sanctions against those responsible for these heinous acts."
Iranian Sports Figures Urge FIFA Action As World Cup Looms
Members of Iran’s sports community have published a letter addressed to FIFA and international soccer bodies, calling on them to respond to the bloody crackdown on nationwide protests in Iran and urging football’s world governing body to suspend the Iranian football federation.
The letter, which was also published on social media on January 26, is signed by a number of current and former players, coaches, referees, and sports journalists who are based abroad. It expresses deep concern over what it describes as “widespread and unprecedented crimes against civilians” during Iran’s recent peaceful protests.
The signatories say several members of Iran’s football community were among those killed and list a number of confirmed victims, including former and current players, coaches, and referees. They say all were killed during the violent suppression of peaceful protests.
The letter also warns that Amirhossein Qaderzadeh -- a 19-year-old player with Iranian top flight soccer club Sepahan S.C -- faces an imminent risk of execution for participating in the protests.
It adds that several other football figures have been detained upon entering Iran, interrogated, and had their travel documents confiscated for expressing personal views -- actions the signatories describe as violations of fundamental freedoms.
Citing FIFA’s human rights commitments, the signatories call on the organization to condemn the killing of civilians and to recognize what they describe as the Iranian soccer federation’s complicity.
They also urge the organization to suspend the federation from FIFA competitions until it provides verifiable guarantees it will respect human rights.
Iran’s soccer federation is due to take part in this year’s men’s FIFA World Cup in the United States after the national team qualified for the tournament in March.
Iran's Internet Blackout Continues Through 18th Day, Says Digital Watchdog
Netblocks, the digital rights watchdog and web connectivity monitor, says that Iran's Internet blackout has now passed the 18-day mark, while gaps in the system "are being tightened to limit circumvention while whitelisted regime accounts promote the Islamic Republic's narrative."
Iran's near-total nationwide digital shutdown -- ongoing since January 8 -- is thought to be one of the longest in history. Only Sudan's complete blackout following its October 2021 coup, which persisted for about 25 days, is known to have lasted longer.
Turkey Reportedly Preparing Buffer Zone Against Potential Wave Of Iranian Migration
Reporting in Turkish media says the country’s Foreign Ministry told members of the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee that in the event of any intervention in Iran or instability there, the creation of a “buffer zone” along the Iran–Turkey border would be necessary to prevent migrants from entering Turkish territory.
According to Turkiye Today, a Turkey-based English news site that often cites official sources, the Turkish Foreign Ministry briefed lawmakers behind closed doors on the latest developments in the Middle East, particularly the situations in Iran and Syria, and said Ankara has prepared a Plan A, B, and C “for every situation.”
The report, published over the weekend, said officials stressed during the meeting that Turkey “does not view favorably any intervention in regional countries or destabilization of the region” but at the same time is preparing itself for all scenarios.
"In the event of migration, we believe there needs to be a buffer zone to ensure those coming stay on the Iranian side," officials were quoted as saying
Turkish Foreign Ministry officials also presented casualty figures in Iran’s recent protests, telling lawmakers that more than 4,000 people have been killed and around 20,000 injured during the unrest. Other sources have indicated that the actual death toll could be much higher.
Turkey has previously established buffer zones along its southern border with Syria -- a move that at the time was aimed at controlling the security and migration fallout from Syria’s civil war.