Reports related to arrests and political prisoners
On April 25, 2026, the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Khuzestan announced the detention of several foreign citizens in Abadan for illegal entry from neighboring countries during a sensitive period.
Shakila Qasemi, a 26-year-old Baha’i citizen, was arrested on January 13 by plainclothes agents without a judicial order at her home in Kerman and has been held for over 70 days in the quarantine section of Kerman Prison and in IRGC Intelligence detention, without official charges or access to a lawyer.
Masih Alinejad criticizes comparisons between her brother's imprisonment in Iran due to her activism against compulsory hijab and the U.S. government's actions against families of regime supporters, arguing the latter are based on thorough investigations and not family ties. Alinejad highlights that her efforts to expose connections of regime supporters were previously ignored by media and U.S. officials.
South Korea has dispatched a special envoy for direct negotiations with officials of the Islamic Republic to secure the passage of 26 South Korean ships and 173 crew members through the Strait of Hormuz, where the vessels are currently detained in the Persian Gulf waters.
Reza Younesi, son of Mir-Yousef Younesi and brother of Ali Younesi, reports that his father Mir-Yousef Younesi was transferred on Monday from Evin Prison to an undisclosed location.
Reza Younesi announced on X network that his father, MirYousef Younesi, a 73-year-old political prisoner, was transferred from Evin Prison to an unknown location on Monday, April 24, without the opportunity to collect his personal belongings.
On Monday, Iranian state media reported the arrest of several government employees in Lorestan province on charges of "treason," though no specific numbers or identities were provided. The detained individuals included employees from institutions such as Lorestan University, the Tax Affairs Organization, and the education sector.
Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights activist, remains in an uncertain status 12 days after her arrest, with her family unable to obtain information about her location or condition. Reza Khandan, her husband and a jailed civil activist, reported in a letter from Evin Prison that she was arrested at home on March 31 during a bombardment, and her brief phone call indicated her voice was hoarse.
IRGC's Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani stated that the U.S. and Israel will be forced to leave the region without achieving their goals, comparing it to their withdrawal from the Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea due to Yemeni resistance.
On April 12, Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that the Tehran-Washington negotiations have not completely failed but remain seriously divided, with key issues including the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices, and political pressures on U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, Masoud Pezeshkian, an advisor to the Iranian president, spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone, stating that the primary obstacle to reaching a fair agreement is the United States' maximalist approach, but if the U.S. adheres to international legal frameworks, an agreement is possible. Pezeshkian also emphasized that the Islamic Republic is prepared to negotiate a balanced and fair agreement to ensure regional peace and security.
Hooman Farhori, a Zoroastrian Mobed, and his wife Minoo Mehrabani were arrested by IRGC intelligence agents in Kerman on March 14, 2025, and during the first week of the Persian month of Farvardin, respectively. The location of their detention is unknown.
