The Iranian regime’s brutality knows no bounds, as evidenced by the chilling rise in executions. Since Masoud Pezeshkian assumed the presidency in August, the hangman’s noose has claimed the lives of 562 prisoners, including 20 women. These executions reflect the mullahs’ desperate grip on power. Now, six political prisoners—Abolhassan Montazer (65), Pouya Ghobadi (32), Vahid Bani-Amrian (32), Babak Alipour (33), Ali Akbar Daneshvarkar (57), and Mohammad Taghavi (58)—face execution on dubious charges such as “membership of the (PMOI),” “armed rebellion,” and “conspiracy against national security.”
The PMOI, a democratic opposition force, is particularly reviled by the regime for its growing network of Resistance Units. These units, determined to dismantle the theocracy, advocate for freedom and justice. Membership in or support for the PMOI is equated to “waging war against God,” punishable by death under Iran’s draconian laws. This echoes the horrors of the 1988 massacre when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ordered the secret execution of over 30,000 PMOI supporters. This crime against humanity is still under investigation by the UN.
The Iranian regime’s history is steeped in political violence, with an estimated 120,000 political prisoners executed since the revolution of 1979. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plays a central role in these atrocities, often acting as the regime’s enforcers. Despite being labeled as a terrorist organization by the United States and Canada, the EU and UK remain hesitant to adopt similar measures. With Kaja Kallas as the EU’s new High Representative for Foreign Affairs, there is hope that Europe will abandon its appeasement policy and confront Iran’s human rights abuses more decisively.
Iran’s bubbling unrest is fueled by nationwide uprisings and relentless oppression. Recent crackdowns by the IRGC have left thousands dead and tens of thousands imprisoned. These mass executions aim to suppress dissent and maintain control. However, the people of Iran, exhausted by decades of suffering under the regime’s iron fist, continue to resist. They seek not military intervention but moral support from the international community as they push for regime change.
Women are at the forefront of Iran’s resistance. The introduction of the oppressive ‘Chastity and Hijab’ law has sparked widespread defiance. Iranian women, particularly the younger generation, are rejecting the mandatory hijab as a symbol of the regime’s tyranny. These protests have been bolstered by the leadership of the PMOI and its president-elect, Maryam Rajavi, who advocates for equality and democracy. The chants of protesters—“With hijab or without hijab, we march to revolution”—embody the people’s resolve.
The international community must act decisively. The United Nations and Western nations must pressure Iran to halt executions, release political detainees, and respect human rights. The regime’s survival hinges on terror and repression, but its downfall seems inevitable as resistance grows. A free Iran promises not only peace and stability in the Middle East but also an end to state-sponsored terrorism and nuclear threats. The world must stand in solidarity with the Iranian people as they strive to reclaim their freedom.