Day 23 Live Report: Martyrdom of Abbasali Ramazani, street battles across Iran, and international solidarity in Paris
Key Highlights from Day 23 of Iran Protests
- Martyrdom in Mashhad: Abbasali Ramazani, a 74-year-old PMOI Resistance member and former political prisoner, was killed by direct fire in Vakilabad Boulevard.
- Nationwide Street Battles: Fierce clashes reported in Tehran, Kermanshah, and Khoy, alongside arson attacks on regime institutions.
- Khoy Escalation: Basij centers and regime offices were torched as protesters engaged in intense street confrontations.
- International Solidarity: Iranian communities and French supporters rallied in Paris, demanding accountability for regime crimes and backing a democratic, secular republic.
UPDATE 9:00 AM CET
Martyr of Day 23 – Abbasali Ramazani (PMOI Resistance Units)
In Mashhad, Abbasali Ramazani, a 74-year-old member of the Resistance Units of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), was martyred by direct fire from Khamenei’s IRGC forces on Vakilabad Boulevard during the uprising.
Ramazani was a veteran political prisoner from the 1980s, repeatedly arrested and imprisoned in 1968, 1976, the 1990s, and again during the 2021–2022 uprising on charges related to his support for the PMOI.
- In 1980, during Khomeini’s anti-cultural coup, he stood among student supporters of the PMOI.
- In summer 2011, he was arrested while attempting to organize a ceremony marking Forough-e Javidan at Ferdowsi’s mausoleum in Tous, spending 222 days in solitary confinement in Vakilabad Prison under torture and pressure.
- He later remained active in resistance efforts, including support for the Khuzestan water protests (summer 2021) and PMOI anniversary campaigns.
- In March 2023, Branch 4 of the judiciary in Razavi Khorasan, headed by Ahmadreza Amini Zahan, sentenced him to 3 years and 7 months in prison.
The verdict cited: “Contact with PMOI handlers, photographing election lines, producing and installing PMOI banners, sending images directly to PMOI networks, and transferring funds to Resistance Units—sufficient to establish membership.”
Released conditionally in August 2024 due to heart disease—with an electronic ankle monitor—Ramazani immediately resumed resistance activities, including financial support for needy families.
In a recorded clip from Mashhad, he publicly pledged:
“For the uprising and (the regime’s) overthrow, I am ready till the end.”
🚨 Iran Protests Update — Video of @Mojahedineng Martyr Abbasali Ramazani (Ramezani)
— SIMAY AZADI TV (@en_simayazadi) January 18, 2026
“For the uprising and the regime’s overthrow, I am ready till the end.”
These are the words of Abbasali Ramazani, spoken before he was killed by regime fire—now a martyr of Iran’s nationwide… https://t.co/ugBlxazaaG pic.twitter.com/3Wi1Wo8rMW
In another video from August 2021, supporting the Khuzestan uprising, he chanted:
“Death to the oppressor—no Shah, no Leader.”
He remained steadfast until his martyrdom.
Nationwide Protests and Street Battles – Day 23
In Kermanshah, on Sunday night, 28 Dey, rebellious youth engaged in intense street battles with special units and IRGC forces in Taq-e Bostan, continuing nightly confrontations.
In Tehran, on Saturday night, 27 Dey, protesters launched a bold attack against special units along Valiasr Street, chanting “Death to Khamenei” and “Death to the dictator.”
In Khoy, resistance actions escalated sharply:
- Saturday night, 27 Dey: Street battles erupted with stone-throwing and chants of
“I will kill the one who killed my brother,” and
“Until the mullah is shrouded, this homeland will not be free.” - Protesters confronted and drove back special-unit enforcers.
- Friday night, 26 Dey: Protesters set fire to the district governor’s office and torched an anti-people Basij center, marking a significant blow to regime control.
International Solidarity – Paris
On Sunday, January 18, Iranian freedom supporters and Resistance activists gathered at Place Saint‑Michel, holding a solidarity demonstration with Iran’s uprising.
The rally featured:
- An exhibition of photographs of uprising martyrs
- Protesters holding portraits of fallen resistance heroes
- Central slogans: “No Shah, No Sheikh” and support for a democratic republic based on separation of religion and state
French public figures, including Dominique Attias, joined the event in support of the Iranian people’s struggle.
Demands raised by demonstrators:
- Condemnation of the mass killing of protesters in 2026
- Referral of the regime’s crimes to the International Criminal Court by the UN Security Council
- Calls on democratic states to legally pursue Ali Khamenei and regime leaders under universal jurisdiction
What Happened
The Iran Protests, now in their 23rd day, represent a sustained nationwide uprising against decades of repression, executions, and dictatorship. The martyrdom of veteran PMOI Resistance members like Abbasali Ramazani underscores the continuity between past and present struggles, while ongoing street battles and international solidarity show a movement that is both deeply rooted inside Iran and increasingly echoed abroad.