Iran's Revolutionary Guard reportedly arrests dissident journalist’s family, demands her resignation

The Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have reportedly arrested the mother, father and brother of a dissident journalist working for Iran International, a Persian and English-speaking opposition news outlet based in the United Kingdom. The IRGC reportedly pressured the arrested father to call his journalist daughter and demand that she resigns from her work. 

“I’ve asked you a thousand times to resign. What consequences are you expecting? You have to resign,” the coerced father reportedly told his daughter on the phone on Saturday. The dissident journalist could hear Iranian security agents in the background, likely telling her father what he should say during the conversation. 

An Iran International spokesperson responded by condemning the Iranian regime, describing the arrests as a “horrific act of hostage-taking” with the goal of pressuring the journalist to quit her job. 

“This deplorable tactic highlights the regime’s ongoing, brutal campaign to silence dissent and destroy independent journalism,” the spokesperson warned. 

Iran International, a vocal opposition news outlet, has previously faced threats from the Iranian ayatollah regime. However, it described the latest incident as an escalation by the regime in Tehran.

“Arresting a journalist’s family members, combined with psychological torture, is a calculated and cruel attempt to break our journalists by targeting their loved ones,” the news outlet said in an official statement. 

“This is a blatant violation of international human rights principles and further exposes the disturbing lengths the regime will go to in its efforts to silence the free press and suppress the truth,” it added.

Iran International warned that the Iranian regime has stepped up its repression of individuals amid the ongoing war with the State of Israel. The news outlet warned that the arrested family members now face severe mistreatment and a hostage situation. 

Iran International urged the United Nations and other international bodies to condemn the Iranian regime’s repressive actions and demand the unconditional release of the news anchor’s family members. It emphasized that it would not be silenced by the ayatollah regime and vowed to continue delivering fact-based, independent news to Iranians both inside the country and across the diaspora.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted intensive aerial strikes on Monday against regime targets in Tehran and other Iranian cities.

"In accordance with the directive of Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, the IDF is currently carrying out an unprecedentedly powerful strike on regime targets and governmental repression bodies in the heart of Tehran," the Israeli Defense Ministry announced.

One of the targets was the infamous Evin prison in Tehran where the ayatollah regime imprisons political dissidents and opponents. The IAF reportedly hit the main gates of the prison as well as an administrative building where the guards are located. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar posted a message on 𝕏 concerning the Israeli aerial strike on the Evin prison. 

"We warned Iran time and again: stop targeting civilians! They continued, including this morning. Our response: Viva la libertad, carajo!" Sa'ar stated.