HomeIran News NowIran News in Brief-Articles and VideosIran News in Brief – April 23, 2026
Iran News in Brief-Articles and Videos Iran News in Brief – April 23, 2026
Written by Sedighe Shahrokhi
23rd April 2026
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Supporters of the Iranian Resistance rally outside the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, on April 22, 2026 THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE LATEST NEWS UPDATE: 06:30 PM CEST
‘Weak’ EU Savaged for Silence over New Atrocities in Iran
The EU has been savaged as “weak and silent” in the face of a continued wave of atrocities inside Iran which were continuing today. In an address at the European Parliament leading dissident Marayam Rajavi told MEPs of a brutal escalation in executions of opponents of the Ayatollah’s regime and a rise in violent street-level internal repression. The President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran declared that the real conflict shaping Iran’s future was not Donald Trump’s “foreign war”, but a “destiny-making” struggle on the ground between the Iranian people and the religious dictatorship over which the EU must not stay silent.
In an uncompromising speech she added 16 political prisoners – opponents of the regime – have been executed within a month, while another detainee died under torture, and said unwillingness to speak out against the horrors being perpetrated was effectively complicity.
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UPDATE: 07:30 AM CEST
Maryam Rajavi Addresses Conference at European Parliament: Take Action to Stop Executions in Iran
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s speech: “Honorable representatives of the nations of Europe, distinguished friends,
It is a privilege to be among you today. I have come to the home of European democracy to underscore a fundamental truth: that the central, decisive, and fate-shaping conflict is the one between the people of Iran and the ruling religious dictatorship. Liberation from religious fascism, its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and its network of proxy forces, as well as ending the war, can only be achieved through the overthrow of this regime by the Iranian people and their organized resistance.
“In the present critical circumstances, when peace and security in the Middle East and the world are tied to the situation in Iran, I speak on behalf of the Iranian Resistance to declare:
1. The system of Velayat-e Faqih, even under Khamenei’s son, remains the same regime, with the same identity and nature, and it possesses no capacity for reform or change. Despite any maneuvering, it will not abandon its nuclear weapons program or its network of proxy forces, and its survival depends on the brutal repression of the people.”
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Outrage in Germany over Pahlavi Visit: 22 Public Figures and Diaspora Groups Warn Against Legitimization
Berlin (ots) – A group of 22 German public figures, together with more than two dozen German-Iranian community organizations across the country, has spoken out against the planned visit of Reza Pahlavi to Berlin, warning that meetings with German lawmakers risk conferring legitimacy on a controversial and polarizing figure.
In an open letter addressed to the President of the German Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, as well as to the leaders of the parliamentary groups, the signatories expressed their “serious concern over the visit of Reza Pahlavi to the German Bundestag scheduled for next Thursday.” Among the 21 signatories are Joachim Rücker, former President of the UN Human Rights Council, and Horst Teltschik, longtime chairman of the Munich Security Conference and former advisor to Chancellor Helmut Kohl.
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Iran Regime Arrests Women and Girls: Torture and Detention without Legal Clarity
Amid a growing wave of arrests targeting women and teenage girls across multiple Iranian cities, numerous reports have emerged detailing the manner of detention, conditions of confinement, and the legal status of those held.
These arrests, often marked by ambiguity, denial of access to legal counsel, and lack of notification to families, have intensified serious concerns over human rights violations and prison conditions in Iran.
This report examines the arrest procedures and current status of several of these individuals.
Hadis Haghighi, a 21-year-old Kurdish blogger from Urmia, has been held by security forces for over a month and is reported to have been subjected to severe pressure and torture during this period. More than 30 days after her arrest, authorities have reportedly brought serious security-related charges against her, while her social media accounts have been shut down.
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Iran Resistance Publishes Names of Newly Detained Individuals Amid Rising Concerns Over Torture
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) has published the names of 12 individuals recently detained by the Iran regime, raising alarm over their fate and the intensifying crackdown on alleged supporters of the opposition.
According to the report, the detainees have been accused of “association and support” for the PMOI—an allegation frequently used by the regime to justify arrests, prolonged detention, and severe punishment of political dissidents. The list has also been submitted to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, as well as other international human rights bodies.
The report highlights a significant escalation in pressure and torture against political prisoners, allegedly carried out under direct orders from Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Eje’i. Human rights advocates warn that such directives often lead to systematic abuse, including solitary confinement, denial of legal representation, and physical coercion to extract confessions.
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Identity Erasure Will Not Break the Bond Between Iran’s People and Their Vanguard
In recent years, the deliberate stripping of identity has emerged as a central instrument in the toolkit of Iran’s regimes—drawing increased scrutiny from the public, media, and social analysts alike. A closer examination of executions and political crackdowns reveals that identity erasure is not merely a propaganda tactic, but a deeply embedded strategy designed to control society. Its purpose is straightforward: reduce public reaction, fracture collective empathy, and prevent the formation of solidarity.
Within authoritarian systems, identity erasure is implemented systematically. The process begins with labeling. Political prisoners are no longer presented as dissenting citizens with political affiliations or ideological convictions; instead, they are recast as “spies” or “foreign agents.” This narrative shift is not incidental—it is engineered to reshape public perception. Once an individual is stripped of legitimate identity, their cause becomes easier to dismiss, and their fate easier to ignore.
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The “Street Strait”: Where Iran’s Regime Faces Its Real Collapse
In the political lexicon of Iran’s ruling system, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has long been invoked as a strategic deterrent—a pressure point against external adversaries. Today, however, the primary nightmare haunting the regime’s security apparatus is not in distant waters, but embedded in the very pavement of Iran’s cities. The system now faces a far more immediate and existential paradox: the “Street Strait”—a domestic chokepoint which, if lost, could unravel the entire architecture of power.
To justify its persistent use of violence, the regime increasingly treats public space as if it were occupied territory. Streets are no longer civic arenas; they are militarized zones requiring constant surveillance and force projection. This posture is not theoretical—it is openly articulated by senior officials.
Ahmad Alamolhoda, in a sermon delivered in Mashhad on December 5, 2025, warned explicitly: “The enemy is waiting to take the streets from us; if the Basij and Hezbollah forces do not maintain a strong and physical presence in public spaces, agitators will exploit these openings to strike at the very foundation of the system.”
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Iranian Resistance Supporters Rally in Oslo to Protest Executions in Iran Iranian Resistance Supporters Rally in Oslo to Protest Executions in Iran - April 20, 2026–Video 2 Watch this video on YouTube
Oslo, Norway – April 20, 2026: Supporters of the Iranian Resistance held a rally outside the Iranian regime’s embassy to protest the execution of PMOI political prisoners Hamed Validi and Mohammad (Nima) Masoom Shahi, who were executed by the Iranian regime on April 20.
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Washington, DC Rally Condemns Iran’s Regime Executions, Calls for Firm Action Washington, DC Rally Condemns Iran’s Regime Executions, Calls for Firm Action - April 20, 2026 Watch this video on YouTube
Washington, DC – April 20, 2026: Iranian American supporters of the Iranian Resistance gathered near the White House to protest the Iranian regime’s escalating wave of executions, including the execution of PMOI members Hamed Validi and Mohammad (Nima) Masoom Shahi on the same day.
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MEK Supporters Rally in Stockholm, Berlin, Copenhagen, Rome, and Cologne to Protest Executions in Iran MEK Supporters Rally in Stockholm, Berlin, Rome, Copenhagen & Cologne Against Executions - April 20 Watch this video on YouTube
Europe – April 20, 2026: Supporters of the Iranian Resistance held rallies in Stockholm (outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Berlin (outside the Iranian regime’s embassy), Copenhagen (outside the Iranian regime’s embassy), Rome (outside the Iranian regime’s embassy), and Cologne to protest the execution of PMOI political prisoners Hamed Validi and Mohammad (Nima) Masoom Shahi, who were executed by the Iranian regime on April 20.
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Also, read Iran News in Brief – April 22, 2026
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