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NetBlocks, the internet monitoring organization, announced in a post Friday morning, January 16, 2026, that Iran's ongoing internet blackout has surpassed even the internet shutdown during November 2019. The organization reminded that it was only after the internet was restored in November 2019 that the full extent of the Islamic Republic's brutal crackdown on protesters became clear. The Islamic Republic cut Iran's internet on Thursday, January 9th, and in an unprecedented crackdown, killed and wounded thousands of protesters. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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🔺Mohsen Rezaei, former commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, has revealed in an interview that military and police commanders refused to attend the Islamic Republic's official funeral ceremonies for killed security agents due to fear of "attacks against the Islamic Republic." ▪️While the number of killed protesters is estimated in the thousands, the Islamic Republic government claims that some of their agents were also killed by people during the protests. ▪️Mohsen Rezaei's admission about the terror felt by Islamic Republic military officials to participate in public ceremonies comes at a time when, during the 12-day war between Israel and the Islamic Republic, dozens of Revolutionary Guard commanders and security officials were targeted by Israel in their hideouts. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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CNN reported, citing a European military source and an Iraqi security source, that Iraqi militiamen have entered Iran in recent weeks to help the Islamic Republic suppress the protests. CNN, quoting an Iraqi security source, wrote that about five thousand Iraqi paramilitary forces entered Iran through the Sheeb crossing in Maysan province and the Zurbatiyah border crossing in Wasit province. A European military source also told CNN that 800 Iraqi militiamen from Diyala, Maysan and Basra provinces entered Iran under the cover of religious pilgrimage trips to help with the crackdown. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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The White House official page on X announced with a published image that Donald Trump met with María Corina Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader, in the Oval Office. According to this report, during the meeting, Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize to the American President - an action that the White House described as being done "in appreciation and respect." María Corina Machado, after this meeting which marks her first in-person encounter with Trump, said: "I believe today is a historic day for the Venezuelan people." @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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Madonna, the pop music legend, wrote in an Instagram post: "I'm thinking of all the people of Iran who are fighting for a much-needed revolution and are willing to die for their beliefs." She added: "Now is the time. Stay strong. I stand with Iran. Let their voices be heard." Referring to how the Iranian people have been denied the gift of freedom, Madonna said: "I can't claim to truly understand the suffering they've endured, but my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Iran." @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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Lindsey Graham, a senior U.S. Senator, says he is traveling to Israel. He wrote on X: "I am traveling to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team at this critical juncture in Middle Eastern history. My goal for this trip is to take advantage of the historic opportunities that have emerged under President Trump's unprecedented leadership - to stand against evil and support people who are making sacrifices for freedom." This Republican senator has repeatedly responded to the Iran protests over the past few days, continuously advising protesters to keep up their efforts because "Trump's help" is on the way. Yesterday he also hosted Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi at his office.

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❌ False claim about state TV admitting to massacre of 23,000 people 🔹A video from a news segment on Iran's state broadcaster IRIB has been circulating on social media with the title "State TV admits to massacre of 23,000 people." 🔹This claim is based on a cropped video from the morning news anchor's remarks on January 16, 2026 on the news channel. 🔹The presenter says "Since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution until now, the number of assassination martyrs has been estimated at over 23,000 people" and then, quoting the head of the Martyrs Foundation, says a "significant number" has been added to this figure. 🔹Officials and state-affiliated media in Iran have so far published no statistics about casualties from recent protests, except for general statements. 🔹This figure of "23,000 assassination martyrs" is also a claimed statistic that an organization called Habilian claims to document. This figure has been published repeatedly in Iranian media over the years, and other numbers have also been mentioned. 🔹This figure and other similar statistics have no credibility without independent verification. 🔹Since the brutal crackdown on Iranian people's protests in January 2026, the Islamic Republic has claimed that "armed terrorists" have "assassinated" people in Iran's streets, while there is undeniable evidence of shooting and massacre of protesters by Islamic Republic security forces. 🔹Factnameh labels the claim of "state TV admitting to massacre of 23,000 people" in recent protests as "false." 👈 Read more on Factnameh 🌐 @Factnameh

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Trump thanked Iran's government for halting 800 executions. J74wabx In his message, he wrote: "I have great respect for the fact that all the planned executions, which were supposed to take place yesterday (more than 800 cases), have been canceled by Iran's leadership. Thank you!" @VahidOOnLine We don't even know what condition the detained protesters are in yet. What 800 death sentences? 📡 @VahidOnline

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Axios reported, citing two informed sources, that Donald Trump, the U.S. President, spoke by phone Thursday night with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, about the situation in Iran. This is the second conversation between Trump and Netanyahu in the past two days regarding Iran. The call took place while the U.S. President continues to weigh his options - a possible military strike on one hand and diplomatic negotiations on the other. According to Axios, in Wednesday's phone call, Netanyahu had asked Trump to delay military action against Iran to give Israel more time to prepare for Iran's potential response. According to Axios, this was one of the factors that led Trump to decide to postpone ordering an attack on Iran. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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Ted Cruz, a Republican U.S. Senator, released a message addressed to the Iranian people, praising the "remarkable courage" of protesters in confronting the "ayatollahs and rulers of the Islamic Republic." He said the United States supports the Iranian people's struggle for freedom. He emphasized that America and Donald Trump "stand behind the Iranian people" and that protesters should know they are not alone. Cruz also expressed hope that "these authoritarian rulers" will fall as a result of the Iranian people's resistance. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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"Destruction of the East Tehran Tax Affairs General Department, January 8, 2025" FattahiFarzad 📡 @VahidOnline

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♦️Ahmad Khatami, Tehran's Friday Prayer Leader, has called for the death penalty for detained protesters and the arrest of anyone who supported the protests in any way. Khatami, who was appointed as Tehran's Friday Prayer Leader by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and is a member of both the Assembly of Experts and the Guardian Council, described the protesters as "servants" of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, and "Trump's soldiers." Speaking about Netanyahu and Trump, he said: "They should expect harsh revenge from the regime. Americans and Zionists should not expect peace." In his sermon, Ahmad Khatami also presented statistics on damage from the protests, claiming that 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls, and 20 other sacred sites have been damaged. He also announced that 80 homes of Friday Prayer Leaders have been damaged. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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The Munich Security Conference told Iran International that it had sent invitations to several Iranian government representatives a few weeks ago, but given recent developments, these invitations are no longer valid and will not proceed. A spokesperson for the Munich Security Conference, responding to Iran International about the possibility of inviting Iranian opposition representatives or civil society figures, said that organizers are closely following current developments but no further details will be announced at this time. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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"Bahar" is a two-year-old child who was killed during the January 2026 protests in Neyshabur. Iran's state television has brought her family in front of cameras. In this video, the voice of the state TV reporter can be clearly heard dictating the Islamic Republic's script to Bahar's father. In other footage where state TV brought Bahar's brother and mother in front of cameras, Bahar's mother, just like in this part of the state TV report, does not look at the camera. The Islamic Republic has a long history of extracting forced confessions from families of victims and prisoners. During the crackdown on the January 2026 protests, the Islamic Republic has also pressured families to repeat the Iranian government's narrative in front of cameras. In some cases, the condition for releasing the bodies of those killed in protests has been participating in television interviews. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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🔹Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump's special envoy, has said he hopes issues with Iran will be resolved through diplomacy. Speaking at the Israeli-American Council, Mr. Witkoff responded to a question about whether we should expect military action against Iran by saying: "I hope we can reach a solution through diplomacy." He said there are four unresolved issues with Iran, including "nuclear, enrichment, missiles, and proxy forces." Donald Trump's special envoy emphasized that he hopes these issues can be resolved through diplomacy because "the alternative outcome would be very bad for Iran." He also called "the Iranian people" extraordinarily brave and said the United States stands with them. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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🔹Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, offering to mediate between the two countries. The Kremlin said that in these calls, Putin emphasized "Russia's readiness to continue its mediation efforts." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow "will announce the results of this phone conversation with the Iranian president very soon" and added that the Russian president "continues his efforts to reduce tensions." @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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American media outlet Axios reported on Saturday, January 16th, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked Trump to postpone military action against the Islamic Republic so that Israel has more time to prepare for Iran's potential retaliation. According to Axios sources, Israel is concerned that America's current attack plan, especially if limited to targeting the Islamic Republic's security forces, won't be able to seriously destabilize the regime. The report emphasized that military action remains on the table for the US, and Washington officials have said this option could be implemented if the massacre of protesters in Iran resumes. Meanwhile, the United States is strengthening its military presence in the region. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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On Friday morning, January 16th, Axios reported, citing an Israeli official and a knowledgeable source, that David Barnea, head of Israel's foreign intelligence service (Mossad), has traveled to the United States for consultations about developments in Iran. According to Axios, this trip is part of consultations between America and Israel regarding the Iranian revolutionary uprising and Washington's potential military action in response to the crackdown on protesters in Iran. Barnea is expected to meet in Miami with Steve Witkoff, the White House envoy who manages direct communication channels between America and Iran. During the protests, Witkoff has been in contact with Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister. This trip comes after a phone conversation between Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu about the Iran crisis. In that call, Netanyahu had requested a delay in U.S. military action to allow Israel time to prepare for Iran's potential retaliation. Following Donald Trump's announcement of support for the Iranian national uprising, American officials have emphasized that military action remains on the table for the White House. Meanwhile, the buildup of U.S. military capabilities in the region continues. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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Former President Mohammad Khatami, who led Iran's reform movement, called the people's protests during the Iranian national revolution a "major planned conspiracy." In a statement supporting President Pezeshkian's government, he declared: "It would be unfair to ignore the government's civil behavior in the first days of the popular protests." The former reform president added: "Statements by Israeli officials and American support leave no doubt about the formation of a major planned conspiracy against Iran." He continued: "The introduction of naked violence quickly changed the scene from officially accepting the nation's right to protest." In his statement, Mohammad Khatami made no reference to the government's widespread massacre of the people. @VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline

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People pray for us, they're shooting us with bullets! We've taken cover! One of us is dead! One of us is dead!" Received video with description: 'Piroozi Street #Tehran, Thursday January 8th' Vahid 📡 @VahidOnline