Wednesday, August 12, 2026

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Kerman’s deputy governor for civil affairs announced that gasoline is now being sold at the full refinery cost of 87,200 tomans per liter at 204 fuel stations across the province. According to ISNA, Ali-Asghar Zakeri-Herandi said that sales of unsubsidized gasoline would begin at 24:00 on Wednesday, 21 Mordad—that is, early Thursday morning—at fuel stations across Kerman Province. @VahidHeadline 🔄 Update: The plan was halted before it could be implemented. 📡 @VahidOnline

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The European Union and a number of countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, have issued a joint statement condemning in the strongest terms the continued execution of protesters in Iran and the crackdown on people who have protested for justice and human dignity. They called for an immediate halt to executions and the release of all those detained during the protests. The statement, published on Wednesday, 21 Mordad, says that using the death penalty to silence dissent, instill fear in communities and punish people for exercising their fundamental rights is wholly unjustifiable. The signatory countries stressed that people in Iran must be able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear. They called on the Islamic Republic to immediately stop using the death penalty and release everyone who has been arbitrarily detained. France, Canada, Albania, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom are among the signatories. The EU’s High Representative has also joined the statement. The statement continues: “The people of Iran must be free to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear.” The signatory countries also urged the Islamic Republic to listen to the people of Iran, who are calling for change, and take concrete steps to ensure respect for human rights. Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, also shared the statement on X, writing that seven months after the “widespread crimes” against the people of Iran who took to the streets for justice and human dignity, the Iranian government is continuing to “shed blood” by increasing executions. Barrot called the crackdown “intolerable and inhumane” and called for those responsible to be held accountable and for political prisoners to be released. He also stressed that the people of Iran must be able to freely determine their own future and that their fundamental rights must be respected. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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Trump post, machine translation: The United States of America has total control of the Strait of Hormuz. I think we’ll keep it! Everyone is calling our naval blockade “a wall of steel,” and there’s nothing Iran can do about it. They have no navy, no air force, their remaining soldiers haven’t been paid, the IRGC has been severely weakened and is fleeing, and their “leadership” is uncertain, at best! They have no money—their country is “finished.” All they have is fake news and 300% inflation, which is getting worse! Iran is all talk and no action; it’s no longer the bully of the Middle East. Praise be to Allah! President Donald J. Trump The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, “A WALL OF STEEL,” and there is nothing Iran can do about it. They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, their remaining soldiers are unpaid, the IRGC is decimated and fleeing, and their “Leadership” is uncertain, at best! They have No Money - Their country is “shot.” All they have is FAKE NEWS and 300% INFLATION, and getting worse! Iran is all talk and no action, the Bully of the Middle East No Longer. Praise be to Allah! President DONALD J. TRUMP realDonaldTrump 📡 @VahidOnline

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Iraj has died: The colonel who was Iran’s “champion of song” Hossein Khajeh Amiri, the renowned Iranian music singer known by his stage name Iraj, died today, Wednesday, 21 Mordad, at the age of 94. His death has stirred a wave of memories of the golden age of music and cinema before the 1357 Islamic Revolution—especially among listeners of radio programs and the many moviegoers who saw and heard Iraj’s chest-resonant singing coming from the lips of the film stars of that era. The singing officer whose voice prompted Hassan Kassai, the ney-playing legend, to call him the “champion of song,” and which Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, Iran’s “King of Song,” called “the yardstick for measuring vocal quality in the history of our singing.” Read more 📡 @VahidOnline

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The Islamic Republic’s health minister says that, in response to the Islamic Republic’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, India did not send Iran even a single ship carrying raw materials for producing medicine—not even during the war. Mohammadreza Zafarghandi added that India had made shipments of medical supplies to Iran conditional on ships linked to India being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. @ VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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A Chinese wide-body passenger aircraft is set to make its first international commercial flight on Wednesday, 21 Mordad. The new jet, billed as China’s answer to large Boeing and Airbus passenger planes, is called the COMAC C-919. It is China’s first attempt to enter this lucrative industry, which has so far been dominated by Western aviation giants. Air China’s flight will leave Beijing for Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, on Wednesday morning. The round-trip service will operate daily. Some analysts believe it could take years for Chinese jets to become serious competitors to established companies such as Airbus and Boeing. @VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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🔴 Since the beginning of 2026, the Islamic Republic of Iran has carried out at least 916 executions, 15 of them in August. The actual number of executions is likely far higher, as the Iranian government conceals the true figures to prevent exposure, international scrutiny, and public reaction. 🔸 A large number of protesters are currently facing serious charges and a grave risk of execution. These sentences have been issued in an extremely rushed and unjust process, without due process or a fair trial. 🔸 The Islamic Republic uses the issuance and implementation of death sentences as a tool to intimidate society and prevent new protests from taking shape. #No_to_Execution @IranRights

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The oil pollution observed along the southern coast of Qeshm Island has spread to the mangrove forests near the village of “Naqasheh.” On Wednesday, 21 Mordad, the IRNA news agency reported that some of the oil slicks had entered the forest area and that monitoring and cleanup operations had begun to prevent the pollution from spreading further. Despite two days having passed since the pollution was reported, the head of Qeshm Island’s Natural Resources and Watershed Management Office said the exact source of the oil slicks would be determined after “expert assessments and a review of reports from the responsible agencies.” The mangrove forests are among Qeshm’s sensitive coastal ecosystems and play an important role in preserving biodiversity, stabilizing the coast, and providing habitat for the life and reproduction of various aquatic species and birds. Hormozgan’s coasts also faced widespread oil pollution this spring. On 12 Ordibehesht, the province’s director-general of environmental protection said the pollution had resulted from an attack on the Lavan Oil Refinery, and that petroleum products had reached various parts of the province’s coastline, including Qeshm, Larak, Hengam, and Hormuz. @ VahidHeadline During oil cleanup operations along Qeshm’s coasts, absorbent pads are being used to collect the oil slicks. These pads are usually made of synthetic fibers such as polypropylene. They absorb oil and grease while taking in less water. By quickly collecting oil, absorbent pads can help prevent slicks from spreading across the water and pollution from reaching fish, turtles, seabirds, and corals, while reducing damage to beaches and piers. However, absorbent pads alone are not enough to deal with large oil spills. They are typically used alongside oil containment booms, skimmers, suction equipment, and other specialized cleanup methods. Saturated pads must also be collected and disposed of properly. @ VahidHeadline 📡 @VahidOnline

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U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that he does not trust Iran, adding: “I’m the last person who would trust Iran. They have constantly lied to me.” Trump also said the United States currently has “complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz, adding: “They have no control. We have complete control. We’re in charge.” The U.S. president went on to say that Iran is no longer the “bully of the Middle East.” @ VahidOOnLine 📡 @VahidOnline