Conflicting reports emerge of clashes near Khamenei’s office in Tehran
Iranian state media on Tuesday denied reports of an armed clash near the office of Ali Khamenei in downtown Tehran on Monday.
The exiled opposition group Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK) had earlier announced that more than 100 of its members were killed or arrested in heavy fighting in the area.
According to a statement by the group, “more than 100 Mujahids were martyred or detained from dawn until the afternoon of Monday in a series of clashes with regime forces” that began at Khamenei’s office at the time of the morning call to prayer.
Later on Tuesday, the group announced it had shared the names of 16 of its members detained during the clashes with the UN special rapporteur and was investigating the fate of “other detainees and victims.”
The semi-official Mehr News Agency wrote on Tuesday: “In a funny and staged act, four mercenaries used PVC pipes to construct something resembling a child’s toy and attempted to create noise in central Tehran in order to continue benefiting from the favors of their masters.”
The agency added that the individuals were “arrested during a regional patrol by FARAJA,” Iran’s Law Enforcement Command.
Bultan News, a media outlet affiliated with security institutions, had written in a piece on Monday afternoon: “The sound of repeated explosions last night in the vicinity of Pasteur Street, the most secure area of the capital, has raised a serious question before all officials and those concerned about the establishment.”
Zahedan’s Sunni Friday prayer leader, in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, warned that ignoring public demands following the January protests would push the country into deeper crises.
“(January) is a reminder of the heavy cost of not hearing the people’s voice; we lost Iran’s best young people and this grief will never be forgotten,” Molavi Abdolhamid, wrote on X, referring to the January protests.
“Ignoring public demands pushes the country toward deeper crises. Lasting stability and security are only possible by yielding to the will of the people and showing practical respect for their demands,” he added.
Tehran’s envoy addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday drew sharp criticism from activists, who argued that giving Iran a platform so soon after its deadly crackdown sent a painful message to victims’ families.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, spoke before the council in Geneva as most delegates remained seated, despite calls from campaigners urging democratic governments to walk out.
For many Iranians, the moment underscored what they see as a stark reality: while families continue to mourn the thousands killed in the protests, representatives of the same government accused of carrying out the violence were again granted an international platform at the world’s leading human rights body.
“Several UN Human Rights bodies have found that the Islamic Republic is committing crimes against humanity. The regime’s perpetrators should be punished rather than given a platform,” Brandon Silver, director of policy and projects at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, told Iran International.
In the days leading up to the session, human rights advocates and Iranian activists urged democratic governments to leave the chamber during the speech.
In an interview conducted before Gharibabadi was set to speak, UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer called on governments to refuse participation, warning that granting Tehran a podium would send a devastating message to victims and their families.
“You cannot grant a false badge of international legitimacy to a regime that just murdered tens of thousands of its people,” Neuer told Eye for Iran, adding, “Shame on the UN for inviting the murderers who try to wound and kill innocent people.”
A global petition supporting the walkout effort gathered more than 360,000 signatures. But video from Monday’s session showed that most delegations remained in place as the Iranian official delivered his remarks.
Tehran’s narrative
During his speech, Gharibabadi dismissed reports of large-scale killings and instead accused the United States and Israel of orchestrating unrest inside Iran.
He claimed “enemies of Iran” had diverted economic protests into “riots and chaos,” alleging that demonstrators committed “Daesh-like atrocities,” while asserting official figures showed 3,117 total deaths — far below estimates reported by rights groups.
He further accused supporters of the protest movement abroad of spreading “fabricated casualty figures,” while insisting Iran itself was a defender of human rights.
The claims closely mirrored messaging that has circulated across state media and official channels since the crackdown.
A recent joint investigation by Iran International and The Free Press documented what it described as a coordinated international information campaign launched alongside the repression, blaming the domestic uprising on foreign conspiracies and amplifying those narratives through media personalities and social media networks.
Diplomacy over grief
For families of victims, the speech stood in sharp contrast to testimonies emerging from inside Iran.
One father told Eye for Iran that his 17-year-old son, wounded during demonstrations, was later killed inside a hospital while doctors were attempting to save him — one of many accounts shared by families seeking international recognition and accountability.
Activists say allowing such narratives to be delivered at the Human Rights Council risks amplifying disputed claims while survivors continue to demand justice.
Politics over principles
Later the same day in Geneva, Gharibabadi also appeared at the UN Conference on Disarmament, where images captured him greeting and shaking hands with UN Secretary-General António Guterres following the session.
For critics, the optics reinforced what they see as a rapid return to diplomatic normalcy despite the recent crackdown.
“The UN either stands for something or it doesn’t,” Hillel Neuer told Eye for Iran, arguing that international institutions cannot claim to defend human rights while granting legitimacy to officials accused of mass repression.
For many Iranians watching from inside the country and across the diaspora, the sequence—a speech at the Human Rights Council followed by diplomatic handshakes—symbolized the uneasy coexistence of international diplomacy and unresolved domestic trauma.
The US military has rapidly increased its presence near Iran, shifting more than 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East since nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran ended without a breakthrough on Feb. 17, The Washington Post reported, citing flight tracking data and satellite imagery.
The current US force presence in the region is among the largest in more than two decades, dating back to the period before the 2003 Iraq war, the report said.
Experts who reviewed the deployment said the scale exceeds the buildup seen before US strikes on Iran’s nuclear program in June last year and reflects preparations consistent with a multiday air campaign without a ground invasion, according to the report.
The Netherlands summoned Iran’s ambassador on Tuesday to protest the seizure of a Dutch diplomat’s luggage at Tehran airport.
“Iran caused a diplomatic incident on January 28, 2026, by forcing a Dutch diplomat to hand over his diplomatic luggage at the airport of Tehran,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “This is unacceptable.”
The ministry said it had repeatedly asked Iran to immediately release the seized goods, without providing further details.
It added that the ambassador was summoned after Iran disclosed footage of the incident online.
Escalating talk of war and renewed negotiations with the United States may dominate Iran’s political discourse, but the country’s deepening economic crisis is more present in daily life—and no less likely to drive change.
On Monday morning, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said foreign reporters visiting the country had described life as “normal.” Yet the indicators and daily experience suggest anything but.
That same day, Iranian media quoted bakers and grocers saying that wealthier customers now leave deposits so poorer families can take bread or meat without paying upfront.
Even newspapers aligned with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have begun issuing warnings.
Khorassan cautioned about the political consequences of rising bread prices. Days earlier, Kayhan warned that bread riots were likely if the government proceeds with plans to raise prices for a fourth time since President Massoud Pezeshkian took office in mid-2024.
Tabnak, the news site run by former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei, reported that a family of two or three now needs about twice the government’s worst-case estimate from last year to cover food costs.
Overall inflation is above 60 percent and expected to approach 70 percent this month. Donya-ye Eqtesad warned that food inflation could soon reach triple-digit levels. The Statistical Center of Iran reports inflation for agricultural goods above 85 percent and services above 45 percent.
Across the media spectrum, analysts point to three converging pressures: soaring food prices, wages that lag behind living costs and persistent instability in financial markets.
Specialized economic outlets report continued volatility in the foreign-exchange market. The dollar has fluctuated between 1,630,000 and 1,650,000 rials in recent days, with traders describing “high-tension anticipation” tied to uncertainty over negotiations with the United States and broader political risks.
Gold prices have surged alongside the currency, placing what has long been a traditional hedge against instability beyond the reach of most households.
The stock market has added to public unease. Shargh reported sharp index declines and heavy retail capital flight on Monday, with roughly 110 trillion rials ($680 million) exiting the market in 24 hours.
Analysts cite eroding confidence in government support policies and fears that regional tensions could spill into the domestic economy. Even those with no investments feel the consequences, as market instability feeds broader uncertainty.
Ramadan, traditionally marked by nightly gatherings and shared meals, has taken on a subdued tone. Many families can no longer afford customary foods, let alone host guests.
State television and pro-government social-media accounts now openly discuss the possibility of war. Online documentaries show Tehran’s pre–New Year shopping districts open but nearly empty. Instead of browsing, residents exchange advice on stockpiling food, fuel and clothing — precautions in case the capital comes under attack.
If this is normal, it is a fragile and increasingly costly version of it.
