WEEK IN REVIEW September 25, 2026
Ink & Irony
Regime Resilience? The Barrels Beg to Differ
by Behnam Mohammadi
The regime boasts of resilience. The barrels beg to differ. No new oil has been loaded at Iran’s terminals since mid-August, and no Iranian oil cargo has crossed the U.S. blockade line since mid-July.
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Mediators unsuccessfully struggled to break the diplomatic deadlock between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., as Washington imposed new weapons sanctions and ordered the Islamic Republic’s delegation to leave New York. The IRGC urged American voters to reject Trump’s congressional allies. Still, the U.S. withdrew its forces from Iraq, raising fears of a vacuum that could strengthen militias backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). In Britain, officials cited “strong indications” of Tehran’s involvement in a suspected plot near RAF Fairford.
Inside Iran, seven months of war deepened families’ struggle to afford food, housing and medicine. Repression continued: authorities executed two men convicted of killing security personnel during January’s protests, while the Basij began training boys as young as 12 in weapons, drones and intelligence.
As talks faltered in New York, Washington widened its wartime economic campaign against Tehran.
US Sanctions Target Iran’s Auto, Rail Sectors as Blockade Chokes Ship Lanes
U.S. Sanctions 10 Over Alleged Weapons Procurement for the Islamic Republic
Islamic Republic Insists on Diplomatic Solution After Trump Rejects Peace Plan
The Revolutionary Guards urged voters to reject Trump’s congressional allies in the midterm elections. The 25-page open letter addressed to the American people called for an end to U.S. support for Israel and military intervention abroad.
Revolutionary Guards Appeal to U.S. Voters in Open Letter
Previously, President Donald Trump warned China against supporting Tehran while he feted its leader Xi Jinping during his first visit to the U.S. in over a decade and received assurances that China would not do so. Trump Says He Discussed the War With Xi
U.S. forces left Iraq on Sept. 30, and Iraqi forces assumed responsibility for security, even though Washington pledged continued training and intelligence support.
U.S. Forces Exit Iraq, Raising Fears Over Regime-Backed Militias and Islamic State
While Iraq and the UAE halted flights to and from Iran, Washington reportedly prepared a temporary waiver for Iraqi Airways pilgrim flights between Iran and Najaf.
Iraqi Airports Suspend Flights to and From Iran
U.S. to Grant Sanctions Waiver for Flights Between Iran and Najaf, Source Says
In Britain, officials cited “strong indications” of Islamic Republic involvement in a suspected plot near RAF Fairford, a base used by U.S. forces for strikes in Iran. Five British men, including a 25-year-old British-Iranian, were arrested on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offenses, but were released on bail.
UK Police Arrest Dual UK-Iranian Man in Fairford Air Base Investigation
Britain Links Islamic Republic to Suspected Plot Near Air Base Used by U.S. Bombers
For families in Iran, the war’s costs are measured in unaffordable rent, food, and medicine. Whether this will push the Islamic Republic toward compromise remains, at best, uncertain.
Iranians Struggle With Soaring Costs After Seven Months of War
Executions accompanied hardship. Two more men were executed on Sept. 30 after their convictions for involvement in January’s protests, known as the Sun and Lion Revolution in Mashhad. The scale of the reported killings in 2026 has drawn comparisons to some of the darkest episodes of modern mass violence.
Islamic Republic Executes Two Men Convicted Over Security Personnel’s Deaths During Protests
The Basij militia began military training for boys aged 12 to 15 under the state’s Janfada, or “self-sacrifice,” initiative. Lessons included drone operations, shoulder-fired weapons, and intelligence work to address workforce shortages.
Islamic Republic’s Basij Militia Starts Training Boys Aged 12 to 15
Kayhan Life’s Curated News:
- Tethered to Terrorism: Crypto & Iran’s Shadow Banking Network, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI)
- The Military and the Bomb: What’s Left, What’s Rebuilt, What’s Missing | The Iran Conference, NUFDI
- Negotiation and Pressure: What Washington Can Actually Achieve | The Iran Conference, NUFDI
- Money and Lifelines: Sanctions, Oil, and the Regime’s Patrons | The Iran Conference, NUFDI
- Executions, Prisons, and the Machinery of Fear | The Iran Conference, NUFDI
Kayhan Life’s Social Media Picks:
- Iranian Protester Yahya Sarkhani Recalls IRGC’s Atrocities During the 2022 Protests
- The Verdict Is In: 74 Lashes
- Tehran Prosecutors Open Criminal Case Against Theatre Company
- Child Protester from Sanandaj Recalls the Woman Life Freedom Protests of 2022
- Slovenia’s PM Calls Out Iran Silence
Treat of the Week:
GHISAVA
All of us at Kayhan Life wish you a peaceful weekend.
