Khamenei skips annual air force meeting for first time in 37 years

A large mural displaying a map of potential targets in Israel’s Tel Aviv metropolitan area has been unveiled in Tehran’s Palestine Square.

Hebrew-language text appears on the mural reading: “Facing a rain of missiles, this is a small area!” alongside an English slogan that says: “YOU START … WE FINISH IT!”

A 15-year-old footballer was killed by security forces during nationwide protests in the city of Isfahan, central Iran, people familiar with the matter told Iran International.

Pedram Khalouei, a teenage player in Sepahan’s development team — affiliated with Sepahan, one of Iran’s leading professional football clubs — was shot dead on the evening of January 9, at the Simin three-way junction in Isfahan, the sources said.

They said security forces fired live ammunition, striking him in the heart in front of his father.

Khalouei had been due to take part three weeks later in selection trials at Sepahan’s academy for a place in the club’s youth team, according to the sources.

A 65-year-old man was killed after being shot by security forces during nationwide protests in the city of Karaj, west of Tehran, people familiar with the matter told Iran International.

Khodadad Alftati, originally from Kermanshah province, was fatally shot on the evening of January 8, in the Fardis area of the city, the sources said.

Alftati was laid to rest on January 12, according to the sources.

A 19-year-old detained protester is facing charges that could carry the death penalty, people familiar with the matter told Iran International.

Mohammad Karimkhani has been accused of “espionage” and “collaboration with Israel” in connection with nationwide protests and allegations that he “made Molotov cocktails and possessed wartime ammunition,” according to the indictment.

Karimkhani is at risk of being issued a death sentence, the sources told Iran International.

Sources told Iran International that judicial authorities have so far prevented Karimkhani from accessing legal counsel.

Hundreds of workers have been detained during the nationwide protests in the Shirino area of Kangan, an industrial area in Bushehr province in southern Iran, and are being held in facilities linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to a post on X by human rights defender and university professor Hossein Raeesi.

Raeesi said the workers were transferred to warehouses belonging to Omran Sahel, a construction firm affiliated with the Guards’ engineering conglomerate tied to Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters.

“The lives of all these workers are in danger,” he wrote, adding that they were being held in inhumane conditions without access to basic facilities.

Raeesi added that at least five workers died in the early days of detention as a result of torture.