US hits civilian infrastructure In Iran
By William Christou Tehran bombs US allies in Middle East after US attacks on bridges, energy facilities and key port A screengrab from social media shows a damaged bridge in Bandar Khamir, Hormozgan province, Iran. Photograph: Social Media/Reuters The US hit bridges, energy facilities and a key Iranian port on Friday, expanding its aerial campaign against Iran, and prompting swift Iranian strikes against US allies in the Middle East. US airstrikes hit bridges in Iran’s south
The Guardian
Jul 20
How Iranians Protest: 2025-2026 Anti-Government Protests
By Michał Jagielski Senior Middle East and Iran Analyst Genocide Watch The protests that took place in late December 2025 through early January 2026 were one of the most significant acts of social opposition to the Iranian religious leadership since the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Their sheer scale, motivations, and, possibly most significantly, the government’s ruthless reaction highlight their importance and potential to drive change. Image: Luis Soto/SOPA Im
Genocide Watch
Jul 20
How Iranians Protest: The Women, Life, Freedom Movement
Genocide Watch The Women, Life, Freedom Movement emerged in Iran in 2022, in response to government crackdown on women refusing to wear a hijab in public. This movement arose largely as a result of the death of Mahsa/Zhina Amini, a Kurdish woman who was arrested and tortured in police custody for refusing to wear a hijab in public. This injustice propelled thousands of men and women alike to protest through the streets against governmental oppression of women. At least 551 pr
Genocide Watch
Jul 10
How Iranians Protest: The 2019 Gasoline Protests
By Michał Jagielski Senior Middle East and Iran Analyst Genocide Watch When the state announced gasoline rationing and increased petrol prices, on Nov. 15, 2019, the Iranian people took to the streets. The protests came to be known as Bloody Aban, or Bloody November, and they were, at the time, the largest and most violent display of opposition to the Islamic Republic. Iranian protesters rally against an increase in petrol prices, in the central city of Isfahan. [AFP] The new
Genocide Watch
Jul 7
Last-minute ban of Iranian opposition rally in Paris
By John Irish A man holds a flag during a protest by supporters of Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in Paris, France, February 8, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights PARIS, June 19 (Reuters) - French police banned the Paris-based NCRI Iranian opposition from holding a rally on Saturday, saying there was a risk of clashes between activists holding opposing views, an argument the group described as "bogus".
Reuters
Jun 30
Iran: Musicians sentenced to 74 lashes for not wearing hijab
Musicians and production team understood to be facing same punishment after livestream of patriotic song By Deepa Parent Parastoo Ahmadi’s performance of the patriotic song Az Khoone Javanane Vatan (From the Blood of the Youth of the Homeland) in December 2024 has been viewed millions of times. Photograph: Hosseinronaghi The Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of a production team, including musicians, have been reportedly sentenced to 74 lashes for performing in
The Guardian
Jun 23
Special Report: Civilian Harm in the U.S.–Israel–Iran War
By Alzbeta Frommerova Genocide Watch The findings of this report indicate that civilians have borne the greatest burden of the 2026 U.S.–Israel–Iran war. Women and children have been particularly affected by death, injury, displacement, and the disruption of essential services. In Iran, the conflict has also deepened existing patterns of repression and insecurity, particularly in the context of the Women, Life, Freedom movement, further restricting civic space and increasing
Genocide Watch
Jun 19
Afghan Deportations by Pakistan and Iran
The Human Rights Implications of Afghan Deportations by Pakistan and Iran By Juliana Girotto Afghans pictured on 1 November at the Chaman camp on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, on their enforced journey back to their homeland. Photograph: Habibullah Achakzai/AP The mass deportation of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 has created a significant human rights crisis, raising concerns about violations of international protection standards and the safety of people r
Genocide Watch
May 27
Catastrophe Is Emerging in the World’s Most Vulnerable Places
Peter Goodman traveled to Somalia, visiting camps for displaced people, schools, health centers and a hospital for the treatment of malnourished children. Photographs by Finbarr O’Reilly.
Peter S. Goodman
May 18
The Iranian Economic and Political Protests of 2017-2018
By Alžběta Frommerova Genocide Watch People take part in pro-government rallies in Iran on Jan. 3 2018 Handout from Tasnim News Agency via Reuters As Iran navigates the pressures of the current global war, which has left many Iranians concerned that the conflict may end without meaningful regime change, despite a century-long struggle against tyranny and for democracy, patterns of protests continue to evolve under pressure. Notably, although perceptions of the United States a
Genocide Watch
May 5
Genocide Warning: Trump’s Threats Against Iran
April 2026 By Grace Harris US President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the White House in Washington on April 6, 2026.Kevin Lamarque/Reuters On April 7, 2026, United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump shared a threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” in a post on Truth Social. This rhetoric goes far beyond threats of traditional warfare and denotes an explicit threat of civilizational devastation. In writing t
Genocide Watch
Apr 28
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Takes Power in Iran
By Juliana Girotto Genocide Watch IRGC military personnel at a military rally in Tehran, Iran, on November 24, 2023. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via AP) Recent evidence suggests that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has consolidated power in Iran. With the IRGC now functioning as the dominant governing authority, the situation in Iran represents a shift from theocracy to militarized rule, with significant implications for civilian protection, political re
Genocide Watch
Apr 26
