The latest
Iranian security forces arrested environmental activists Houman Jokar and Sepideh Kashani, along with Kashani’s sister, according to their lawyer Hojjat Kermani, as authorities prepared for Ali Khamenei’s funeral. Rights groups say the arrests are part of a wider crackdown that has intensified since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war.
Details
• Latest arrests: Lawyer Hojjat Kermani said security forces seized the detainees’ electronic devices and have not disclosed the charges or their place of detention.
• Previous imprisonment: Jokar and Kashani were first arrested in 2018 on espionage charges they denied and were released in 2024 after spending more than six years in prison.
• Broader campaign: Amnesty International says Iranian authorities have arrested more than 6,000 people since February 28, including journalists, lawyers, activists and members of minority communities.
• Political messaging: Analysts, according to The New York Times, say the government is using the funeral to project broad public support despite persistent domestic discontent.
• Official appeal: President Masoud Pezeshkian urged Iranians of all backgrounds and political views to attend the public funeral ceremonies.
Background
Iran has faced recurring waves of protests and repression since late 2025. Human rights organizations say authorities have expanded mass arrests, accelerated security-related prosecutions and increased executions, while accusing Tehran of using wartime conditions to justify tighter domestic controls. Iranian officials reject those accusations.
What to watch
Attention will focus on turnout at the funeral ceremonies, whether the security crackdown broadens further, and any new international response to Iran’s human rights record.
