Iran operating secret ‘black box’ sites holding thousands in detention: reports
Tens of thousands of Iranians are being held in “black box” detention sites with no judicial oversight, official records, and no way for families to confirm whether their loved ones are alive, according to reports.
The facilities — which the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) says are modeled on prison camps from the 1980s — have sparked alarm among human rights advocates amid unrest across the country.
“These sites were initially used in the 1980s in Iran and were residential compounds inside Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, west of Tehran,” he added.
FORMER IRANIAN PRISONERS REVEAL TORTURE HORRORS AS REGIME KILLS PROTESTERS ON SIGHT DURING CRACKDOWN
“Female prisoners affiliated with MEK (Mujahedin-e Khalq) were confined and subjected to torture,” he added, describing how women were “forced to live in coffin-like boxes or sit in squatting positions, deprived of sleep and food.”
“If they spoke, they were beaten. We have heard that similar prisons are being used today that operate outside the formal Iranian prison system,” he said.
Iranian authorities have reportedly been using these unofficial detention sites for interrogation during the protests, where detainees are held without registration or access to legal counsel.
The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) described the facilities as “among the gravest concerns documented” by the organization.
In a new report, CHRI warned that when detainees are removed from the formal prison system, they effectively disappear into these sites.
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER ACKNOWLEDGES THOUSANDS KILLED AS TRUMP CALLS FOR NEW LEADERSHIP: REPORTS
There is no paper trail and no legal supervision, leaving individuals highly vulnerable to abuse.
CHRI said the risk of torture, coerced confessions, sexual abuse and deaths in custody inside these facilities is extreme.
Outside the facilities, families are often left traumatized after having to spend days outside courts and prisons that deny holding their children, the report said.
“The precise locations of these black box sites are unknown, which is part of their function,” Safavi said.
IRANIAN SECURITY FORCES GUN DOWN AMATEUR BOXER AS FATHER SEARCHES MORGUES FOR MISSING SON: SOURCE
“This ensures total isolation and no access or contact. Agents inside are able to employ whatever methods they choose, much like at Ghezel Hesar Prison in the 1980s,” he explained.
“The clandestine sites eliminate witnesses and prevent documentation that could lead to leaks,” Safavi said.
The findings come amid reports of escalating executions in Iran following recent protests, during which thousands of people were killed at the hands of the clerical regime.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Monday that at least 17 prisoners were executed across Iran over a two-day period.
The CHRI report came as Iranians living in exile gathered in Europe to protest against the regime and as others commemorated the 40th day since the Jan. 2026 uprising.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
At the same time, the HANA Human Rights Organization said that at least 24 children, including a 3-year-old, were killed by direct fire from security forces during nationwide protests.
China pledges aid to Ukraine as US officials warn Beijing is quietly fueling Russia’s war
China offered new humanitarian energy assistance to Ukraine — even as a senior U.S. official said Beijing has the power to stop Russia’s invasion and has chosen not to.
“China could call Vladimir Putin and end this war tomorrow and cut off his dual-purpose technologies that they’re selling,” U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said during a Friday panel on U.S. foreign policy at the Munich Security Conference, moderated by Bloomberg.
“China could stop buying Russian oil and gas,” he added. “You know, this war is being completely enabled by China.”
NATO AMBASSADOR SAYS UKRAINE PEACE DEAL COULD BE ‘ON THE CUSP’ AS NATIONS NEAR FINALIZATION OF SECURITY PACT
Whitaker’s remarks came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the conference and pledged what both sides described as humanitarian energy assistance to help Ukraine cope with ongoing Russian strikes on its power infrastructure.
Sybiha said on social media that he was grateful for China’s decision to provide an additional energy aid package. Readouts from both Kyiv, Ukraine, and Beijing described the meeting as focused on peace efforts, bilateral ties and support for Ukraine’s energy system, which repeatedly has been targeted by Russian missile and drone attacks.
China has not publicly disclosed the size or scope of the aid package.
Beijing repeatedly has said it seeks a “constructive” role in ending the crisis and maintains that it is not a party to the conflict. Chinese officials have denied supplying lethal military assistance to Moscow and argue they support dialogue and a political settlement.
U.S. officials, however, increasingly frame China as Russia’s most important external enabler.
Whitaker said in Munich that China is providing “crucial support” for Russia’s aggression. Russia relies heavily on China for critical parts and components used in drones and other war equipment, Western officials say, even as Beijing publicly distances itself from direct weapons transfers.
ZELENSKYY CLAIMS US GAVE UKRAINE AND RUSSIA A DEADLINE TO REACH PEACE AGREEMENT
China and Russia have deepened their partnership since the start of the war, expanding trade and financial cooperation. Moscow increasingly has relied on Chinese technology, industrial goods and financial channels as Western sanctions tightened.
China is once again the largest buyer of Russian crude oil shipments. Tracking data show that roughly 1.65 million barrels per day of crude were offloaded at Chinese ports in January — the highest level since March 2024 and the second-highest monthly total since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The purchases provide Moscow with a critical revenue stream as Western governments attempt to constrain Russia’s war financing through sanctions and price caps.
The juxtaposition at Munich was stark: Beijing offering to help repair Ukraine’s energy grid while simultaneously remaining a major buyer of the oil that funds the Russian war machine Western officials say is destroying it.
Beijing rejects the accusation that it is enabling the war, arguing instead that sanctions and military escalation will not resolve the conflict and that it supports negotiations.
By maintaining diplomatic channels with Ukraine and offering humanitarian support, Beijing preserves a foothold in potential post-war reconstruction discussions, even as its economic ties with Moscow deepen.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
For European governments weighing additional measures against Chinese entities accused of supplying dual-use goods to Russia, Beijing’s humanitarian outreach complicates the diplomatic picture.
For Washington, however, the framing at Munich was direct: China has the economic and technological influence to change Russia’s calculus.
Iran launches war drills in Hormuz Strait as US carrier is flying missions 24/7 before Geneva talks
Iran launched live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday in preparation for potential security and military threats in the strategic waterway, according to the country’s state-run IRNA news agency.
The drill, called “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz,” was led by the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) under the supervision of IRGC Commander in Chief Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, according to Iran International.
State media said the exercise was organized to assess the readiness of operational units, review security plans and rehearse scenarios for responding to any security and military threats in the area.
SCOTT BESSENT SAYS IRAN UNDERSTANDS ‘BRUTE FORCE’ AS TRUMP WEIGHS OPTIONS AMID NUCLEAR STANDOFF
The exercises came within hours of renewed diplomatic efforts starting in Geneva between the U.S. and Iran that are aimed at reviving negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
“I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X on Monday “What is not on the table: submission before threats,” he said.
President Donald Trump has ordered a buildup of U.S. military forces in the Middle East and has threatened to strike Iran if its leadership does not agree to a deal on its nuclear program.
On Friday, Trump also offered an endorsement of regime change in Tehran and said it would be the “best thing that could happen” for Iran.
U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, went on to show U.S. military presence in the region Monday.
VANCE WARNS IRAN THAT ‘ANOTHER OPTION ON THE TABLE’ IF NUCLEAR DEAL NOT REACHED
In a post on X, it shared images of EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 133 and F-35C Lightning IIs from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 preparing for launch from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln.
“Operating in international waters in the Middle East, the aircraft carrier conducts around-the-clock flight operations in support of regional security,” the post said.
The Pentagon has been building up what Trump has described as an “armada” in the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is present flanked by three warships equipped with Tomahawk missiles and is at the center of a broader U.S. naval buildup in the region.
Meanwhile, Tehran said the second round of talks would be held on Tuesday “with the mediation and good offices of Oman.”
TOP IRAN SECURITY OFFICIAL SEEN IN OMAN DAYS AFTER INDIRECT NUCLEAR TALKS WITH US
Negotiations restarted in Muscat on Feb. 6, after previous talks collapsed when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran in June that sparked a 12-day war and escalated tensions across the region.
On Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said there was “significant and legitimate doubt that the Iranians will ever agree to something that would cause them to lay down any ambitions of nuclear weaponry.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Trump also told reporters Monday, “I’ll be involved in those talks indirectly, and they’ll be very important, and we’ll see what can happen.”
He added, “I would say they’re bad negotiators because we could have had a deal instead of sending the B2’s to knock out their nuclear potential. I hope they’re going to be more reasonable. They want to make a deal.”
Trump blasts Newsom’s UK pact, warns foreign leaders as 2028 buzz builds
President Donald Trump derided California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s international outreach as “inappropriate” Monday.
Trump’s warning was to British leaders against partnering with the Democratic governor after Newsom signed a clean energy agreement with the United Kingdom during a European diplomacy tour.
“The U.K.’s got enough trouble without getting involved with Gavin Newscum,” Trump said in an interview with Politico, adding that it was “inappropriate for them to be dealing with him.”
The president’s remarks came after Newsom stepped onto the global stage at the Munich Security Conference, signing cooperation agreements with Ukraine and the United Kingdom while sharply criticizing the president’s foreign policy approach — moves likely to intensify speculation about the governor’s future presidential ambitions.
NEWSOM’S DAVOS DETOUR: 5 CRINGE MOMENTS THAT OVERSHADOWED HIGH-PROFILE SUMMIT
Newsom has long been viewed by political strategists and analysts as a possible Democratic presidential contender in 2028. His appearances at global forums combined with high-profile criticism of Trump have only intensified that speculation.
The second-term Democrat used the high-profile security summit to position California as a “stable and reliable” alternative to the federal government, telling an international audience that the current administration is merely “temporary” and will be “gone in three years.”
“Donald Trump is on his knees for coal and Big Oil, selling out America’s future to China,” a Newsom spokesperson told Fox News Digital in response to the president’s criticisms. “Governor Newsom will continue to lead in his absence. Foreign leaders are rejecting Trump and choosing California’s vision for the future.”
But it was Newsom’s blunt assessment of world leaders’ attempts to work with the 47th president that drew the most attention. Addressing European heads of state and diplomats, Newsom claimed that foreign leaders “rolling over” for the White House make themselves “look pathetic on the world stage.”
The governor doubled down on a jab he first debuted at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, telling reporters he “should have brought a bunch of knee pads” for world leaders who he believes have bowed down to the president’s “transactional” diplomacy. Newsom specifically took aim at what he called the “complicity” of allies who have sought to appease the President following recent controversies over Arctic sovereignty and NATO funding.
“I can’t take this complicity of people rolling over,” Newsom said during a sideline appearance. “I mean, handing out crowns, the Nobel prizes that are being given away … it’s just pathetic.”
NEWSOM WARNS ‘PATHETIC’ FOREIGN LEADERS TO GROW A BACKBONE IN BIZARRE TAKEDOWN LIKENING TRUMP TO A T.REX
Newsom’s diplomacy tour included the signing of a clean energy memorandum with U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, which the governor’s office said would facilitate nearly a billion dollars in new investment. That agreement followed a Saturday pact with the Lviv region of Ukraine, which Newsom said would involve California companies in the “rebuilding and resiliency” of the war-torn nation — specifically in defense, energy, and digital technologies.
The State Department historically has encouraged “subnational diplomacy,” particularly on trade, and governors from both parties routinely lead overseas economic missions. Such agreements are typically structured as nonbinding memoranda of understanding and do not carry the force of federal treaties.
However, Newsom’s appearance at the Munich Security Conference, a high-profile gathering of global defense and diplomatic leaders, paired with his direct criticism of Trump’s policies underscores how domestic political rivalries are increasingly spilling onto the global stage.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Foreign policy traditionally has operated under the principle that the U.S. should speak with one voice in its dealings abroad. Newsom’s remarks, delivered before foreign heads of state while signing agreements of his own, presented an alternative vision of American leadership at a time when Washington is navigating disputes over NATO funding, Arctic sovereignty and the war in Ukraine.
Medical NGO that slammed Israel’s anti-terror raid now quits Gaza hospital over armed operatives
The increasingly controversial medical nongovernmental organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which has been accused of anti-Israel rhetoric, shocked many when it recently announced that it had ceased operations at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, due to the presence of gunmen using the hospital it had constantly accused Israel of raiding.
MSF said its teams had “reported a pattern of unacceptable acts, including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients, and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons,” and said the “incidents pose serious security threats to our teams and patients.”
Salo Aizenberg, director of media watchdog group HonestReporting, told Fox News Digital, “MSF buried its acknowledgment of seeing armed gunmen at Nasser Hospital at the very end of a 2,500-word Gaza projects update, but still wouldn’t name who those gunmen were. Hamas.”
STEFANIK ASKS AG BONDI TO PROBE MEDICAL CHARITY OVER HAMAS PROPAGANDA CLAIMS
The terrorist group’s continuing operations highlight another challenge: the need to disarm Hamas, as required by the ceasefire currently in place.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Israel Defense Forces said it “possesses intelligence indicating that Nasser Hospital is being used as a headquarters and military post for senior Hamas commanders and operatives in the southern Gaza Strip. For two years, the IDF and the defense establishment has warned about the cynical use by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip of hospitals and humanitarian shelters as human shields to conceal terrorist activity.”
While noting that MSF’s decision was “important,” the IDF said it “comes too late. This is further proof that reinforces the necessity for the disarmament of the Hamas terror organization.”
Fox News Digital asked the White House whether the presence of armed fighters in Nasser Hospital is a violation of the ceasefire. A White House official stated, “We can’t confirm Medecins Sans Frontieres’ claims, but any threatening presence of Hamas is one of the reasons why we continue to emphasize that Hamas must disarm.”
US-BACKED GAZA AID GROUP SLAMS DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS, ACCUSES IT OF SPREADING ‘FALSE’ CLAIMS
MSF has previously stated that it has been “operational out of Nasser Hospital since before the conflict escalated in October 2023.”
Aizenberg said MSF’s discourse is a change from prior statements. “When the IDF raided Nasser Hospital in February 2024, saying Hamas operatives and hostages were believed to be there, it was condemned as an illegal attack on a medical facility,” Aizenberg said. “MSF now confirms the hospital was used by combatants and for weapons movement. The IDF was right all along.”
Concerns have also come from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which provided over 187 million meals to Gazans between May 26 and late November 2025. In September, GHF told Fox News Digital that Nasser Hospital routinely issued “false reports” of civilian deaths at GHF sites to the media.
FORMER DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS LEADER CALLS GROUP ‘ACCOMPLICES OF HAMAS’ OVER GAZA WAR RESPONSE
MSF did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about their failure to address the presence of armed gunmen at Nasser Hospital previously, whether the armed gunmen at the hospital are members of Hamas and why they chose to include their change in operations at the end of a lengthy statement alleging “intimidation, pressure and smear campaigns” regarding MSF from Israeli authorities.
The IDF banned MSF from operating in Gaza beginning on March 1, citing the organization’s failure to provide a list of all Palestinian staff, according to the Times of Israel.
MSF has come under fire in the U.S., with Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., sending a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi in September requesting that she investigate the organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act because it “mirror[ed] propaganda continuously pushed by Hamas.”
As the ceasefire brokered by the Trump administration takes hold, other anti-Israel NGOs also seem to be coming to terms with their obsession with Israel. Former Oxfam in the U.K. CEO Dr. Halima Begum is taking the charity to court for accusations of sexism, racism and antisemitism. She told the U.K.’s Channel 4 News that “it always felt as though we were disproportionately working around the crisis in Gaza.”
Addressing Begum’s remarks, Israeli cabinet minister Amichai Chikli said she has “been a vocal critic of the State of Israel. Therefore, when she testifies about the level of antisemitism within the organization and levels these accusations herself, her remarks should resonate around the world all the more.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
On Monday, Israel’s news agency TPS-IL reported that Oxfam will no longer be permitted to operate in Gaza beginning Feb. 28, the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has ruled.
Watchdog organization NGO Monitor told Fox News Digital that the confluence of news stories demonstrates that “slowly, superpower NGOs are being exposed from the inside – their anti-Israel rot bared for all to see. A major return to founding principles is required to ensure that human rights once again become driving ideals inside the world’s most influential NGOs.”
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says he met with Democratic senators, thanked US for support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X that he met with U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
“Thank you for seeing us,” Blumenthal can be heard saying in a video included in Zelenskyy’s post. “We look forward to hearing from you, ah, about how we can be more helpful.”
Zelenskyy indicated in the post that during the meeting he “thanked the United States for its strong bipartisan support and work for peace.”
UK, GERMAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS DEFEND MILITARY BUILDUP UNDER RUSSIAN THREATS
President Donald Trump has been trying to help broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, but the two nations remain locked in conflict.
“Before our meeting, the senators met with children whom Ukraine managed to return from Russia. Thank you, this is truly important,” Zelenskyy noted in the post.
RUBIO MEETS WITH ZELENSKYY AHEAD OF CRUCIAL GENEVA TALKS, SAYS TRUMP WANTS SOLUTION THAT ‘ENDS BLOODSHED’
“We see no better tools to influence Moscow than pressure. There is an important sanctioning act in the Senate right now, and we expect it to work. I also informed them about the constant Russian strikes on our people and, in particular, on American businesses as well. It is absolutely fair that Russian money should be used to defend against this terror, and we discussed the prospects of utilizing immobilized Russian assets to purchase missiles for the Patriot systems,” he added.
“I thank the President, Congress, and the people of the United States for their support,” Zelenskyy noted.
UKRAINE STRIKES MAJOR RUSSIAN AMMO DEPOT WITH ‘FLAMINGO’ MISSILE AS TRUMP URGES ZELENSKYY TO MOVE ON DEAL
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital reached out to the senators’ offices on Monday.
UK, German defense officials defend military buildup under Russian threats
The British and German Defense chiefs contend that military buildup is necessary to protect Europe from potential Russian aggression.
They pointed to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
“Moscow’s military buildup, combined with its willingness to wage war on our continent, as painfully evidenced in Ukraine, represents an increased risk that demands our collective attention,” they declared in an opinion piece published by The Guardian.
RUBIO SEALS CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH HUNGARY
United Kingdom Chief of Defense Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton and German Chief of Defense Carsten Breuer made an argument for peace through strength.
“History teaches us that deterrence fails when adversaries sense disunity and weakness. If Russia perceives Europe in this way, it may be emboldened to extend its aggression beyond Ukraine. Indeed, we know that Moscow’s intentions range wider than the current conflict,” they wrote.
RUBIO BLASTS ‘WORLD WITHOUT BORDERS’ FANTASY, WARNS MASS MIGRATION THREATENS WESTERN CIVILIZATION
They asserted that the continent must have a strong defense industry.
“Ukraine shows us that industrial bases are key to sustaining and ultimately winning any major war. The increased defence spending under way across our countries proves that we are taking this seriously, as we cannot deter if we cannot produce. Our industries must be capable of sustained output – manufacturing the ammunition, systems and platforms our forces require at the pace modern conflict demands,” they asserted.
UKRAINE STRIKES MAJOR RUSSIAN AMMO DEPOT WITH ‘FLAMINGO’ MISSILE AS TRUMP URGES ZELENSKYY TO MOVE ON DEAL
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“There is a moral dimension to this endeavour. Rearmament is not warmongering; it is the responsible action of nations determined to protect their people and preserve peace. Strength deters aggression. Weakness invites it,” they wrote.
Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi makes new appeal to Trump to weaken ayatollah’s regime as killing continues
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi called for “humanitarian intervention” in his country and urgent international measures against Iran’s ruling regime amid protests and reported mass casualties.
Pahlavi appealed to President Donald Trump after Trump said regime change in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen.”
The prince listed several measures the U.S. could take to weaken the ayatollah, including neutralizing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), cracking down on “ghost tankers” that secretly transport sanctioned oil and provide revenue to the regime, expelling diplomats or holding them to account for criminal behavior, freezing assets of oligarchs, supporting protesters with internet access and asking for the unconditional release of all political prisoners in Iran.
“These are specific measures… that the world can [take to] put more pressure on the regime, but it will also show much more support to the Iranian people,” Pahlavi said on “Sunday Morning Futures.”
IRAN RAMPS UP REGIONAL THREATS AS TRUMP CONSIDERS TALKS, EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF REGIME VIOLENCE EMERGE
He hoped those provisions would “expedite the process” of “getting rid of this regime.”
“And finally, Iranians can have an opportunity to speak for themselves.”
IRAN SAYS US MUST ‘PROVE THEY WANT TO DO A DEAL’ ON NUCLEAR TALKS IN GENEVA
Pahlavi is positioning himself as a transitional leader for a post-regime Iran. He said he would serve to “galvanize and unify… the secular democratic opposition” with the ultimate goal of facilitating “a democratic process that will be completely transparent and under international observation” that would allow Iranians to decide the future of their country.
His comments come as Iran is roiled by anti-government demonstrations and regime retaliation against them. Pahlavi said a minimum of 36,000 people were killed by police in the first two days of protests, though it remains difficult to collect accurate data.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“But in the meantime, at least 40,000 people have been arrested. The number of people who have disappeared is yet to be completely realized. We had over 330,000 who were wounded,” he said.
He also commended the hundreds of thousands of people who rallied in cities around the world for a Global Day of Action to call for new leadership in Iran in what he called anunprecedented show of unity and support for one another.”