On April 29, the state-run Tasnim News Agency—an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force—reported the arrest of an individual in Khuzestan Province. Authorities described the detainee as an “operational element” linked to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), an Iranian opposition group.
While Tasnim announced the arrest on April 29, Iranian opposition sources had already identified the individual as Mohsen Daghaghaleh on April 21. He was reportedly among a group of 12 individuals detained for alleged support of the PMOI. Images of the detainees circulated at that time, alongside reports indicating they were being held under significant pressure.
According to Tasnim, the detainee is accused of involvement in the January 2026 protests, with allegations including attacks on government and religious sites, injuring two officers, setting fire to a bank branch and ATMs, distributing Molotov cocktails, and possessing weapons. Authorities also claimed he had received bomb-making training online. These claims have not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, the Iranian opposition had previously shared the identities and conditions of those detained, stating that their cases have been submitted to international bodies, including the United Nations Special Rapporteur. The individuals identified by opposition sources include:
- Sattar Babaei (57)
- Mohsen Daghaghaleh (22)
- Sobhan Asparvini (21)
- Ali Rajaei (21)
- Ahmad Qaedi Rahmati (46)
- Erfan Abbasi-Far (47)
- Farzad Fardad (43)
- Reza Roshani (31)
- Rajabali Chilan (43)
- Abolfazl Mojaradi (28)
- Amir Mehdi Jalali (24)
- Mohammad Goudarzi (35)
The reported arrest comes amid a broader escalation of pressure on individuals accused of links to opposition groups. In recent weeks, multiple reports have pointed to an increase in arrests and executions related to such allegations, raising ongoing concerns among human rights observers regarding the fate of political detainees in Iran.
On April 19, Iran’s Judiciary Chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Eje’i, called for the expedited processing of cases, stating: “Today, work must be entrusted to experts, moving faster and faster, both in the prosecutor’s office and the courts.” Urging officials to take rapid action, he added, “The prosecutor must go in person, go to the scene, and if necessary, go to the prison… Question, answer, investigate, and notify them of the charges. Take the final defense and do whatever is required.”
🚨 Iran's Judiciary Chief: “If 'the case' is given in the morning, get the results by the afternoon.”
— Pasha Borjkhani (@BorjkhaniP1847) April 19, 2026
In a drastic escalation of summary justice, Iran’s Judiciary Chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Eje'i has ordered prosecutors to bypass standard legal timelines and issue "immediate"… pic.twitter.com/cNzcxtxNyj
One day after these remarks, two PMOI members, Hamed Validi and Mohammad Massoum-Shahi, were hanged. Their deaths bring the number of political prisoners executed in less than a month to 12.