Let's talk Iran - Jan 29, 2021
MY PUBLICATIONS
Thread—One of Iran's diplomats in Europe if facing terrorism charges. This is a test for Europe to show its resolve & not appease the regime in Tehran. LINK
NUCLEAR
Iranian resistance caution against sanctions relief ‘lifeline’ for Iran
An Iranian resistance group has warned against providing the Iranian regime with the “lifeline” of sanctions relief, amid Iranian anger over the Biden administration’s refusal to lift punitive measures imposed on the country. LINK
Biden Taps Obama Administration Diplomat as New Iran Envoy
Several U.S. and European officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to Foreign Policy, say that it’s unclear whether Biden and his diplomatic team can convince Iran to return to the limits on uranium enrichment imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal. LINK
France's Macron says any new nuclear talks with Iran to be 'strict' - Arabiya TV
French President Emmanuel Macron said any new negotiations on world powers’ 2015 nuclear deal with Iran would be very “strict” and should include Saudi Arabia, Al Arabiya television reported on Friday. LINK
U.S. Iran envoy spoke with Britain, France, Germany to assess situation - source
New U.S. Iran envoy Robert Malley spoke with senior officials from Britain, France and Germany on Thursday to see what the European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal think about the current situation, a European diplomatic source said on Friday. LINK
Le Drian Should Get Tougher on Iran
French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian said earlier in January that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was deteriorating, urging Iran to stop its violations at once and abide by the restrictions. However, these comments still fall short, according to the Iranian Resistance. LINK
For Biden, Iran Presents a Tough Road From Promise to Policy
Using the antiterror authorities, Donald Trump targeted the oil and financial industries critical to Iran's economy—a strategy intended in part to make a return to the nuclear deal difficult. LINK
TERRORISM
Europeans’ Call for Downgrading Relations With Iran’s Regime Is Much Needed, Long Overdue
Former Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi and about 20 other former EU officials released a statement that highlights the implications of a terrorist case that is currently unfolding in Belgium and involves a high-ranking Iran’s regime’s so-called diplomat. LINK
Iran’s State-Run Media Echoes Regime’s Fear of Assadi’s Condemnation, Blatantly Calls for Taking EU Diplomats Hostage
A court in Antwerp, Belgium, will finally announce its verdict about Iran’s incarcerated diplomat-terrorist Assadollah Assadi and his accomplices, who planned to bomb the opposition’s rally in 2018 in France. As the possibility of Assadi’s condemnations grows stronger, Iran’s state-run media echo mullahs’ desperation and rage over this historical trial and call for hostage-taking. LINK
Iran’s terror machine in Europe is an iceberg. And we’ve only seen the tip.
Next week, a court in Antwerp, Belgium, will decide on the case of Assadollah Assadi, a career Iranian diplomat who plotted a bombing attack against a major gathering of Iranian dissidents in France in 2018. The attack was foiled by European authorities, and Assadi was arrested along with his co-conspirators. LINK
Iran MP says unfreezing funds may help release of South Korean ship
A move by South Korea towards releasing $7 billion in frozen Iranian funds may help spur Iran’s judiciary to resolve the seizure of a Korean ship being held for alleged environmental pollution, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Friday. LINK
Iran Has Tanker Seized by Indonesia Just Weeks after Seizing One from South Korea
As more information reaches the international press about the illegal activity that was interrupted, the incident may also reveal the extent of Iran’s financial losses from these sorts of dealings.
That in turn may reinforce perceptions of an Iranian economy on the brink of collapse, with the U.S. and its allies holding most of the leverage in future talks over matters including but not limited to the Iranian nuclear program. LINK
Taliban’s Political Deputy Arrives in Iran
On January 27, Taliban’s political deputy Mulla Abdulghani Baradar arrived in Tehran, heading a Taliban delegation. This is while the Afghan government has explicitly announced its objection over Iran’s approach toward this group. Previously, in December 2019, Mulla Baradar had traveled to Iran and visited Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Ministry. LINK
HUMAN RIGHTS
U.N. condemns Iran execution spree, worried about minorities
The United Nations human rights office on Friday condemned at least 28 executions in Iran, including several prisoners from minority groups, and called on Tehran to halt the hanging of an ethnic Baluchi man. LINK
UK Lawmakers Call for International Investigation About Human Rights Violations in Iran
The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) on January 26 strongly condemned the new sentence against Iranian political prisoner Saeid Sangar, who has been in prison over the past 20 years. British lawmakers called for international intervention since Iran’s regime continues to ignore the international condemnations and shrugs off pleas and recommendations to improve the human rights situation. LINK
Iran: International Call for Urgent Action To Save the Life of Death Row Political Prisoner Javid Dehghan
Baluch political prisoner Javid Dehghan Khald, who has been in prison for five and a half years, has been transferred to solitary confinement in Zahedan Central Prison for execution. He was arrested in May 2015 and sentenced to death in April 2017 by the court in Zahedan on charges of Moharebeh (waging war on God). LINK
Women’s rights and student activists detained with uncertain status
Despite passage of 50 days since the arrest and detention of Nazanin Mohammad-Nejad, she is still held in solitary confinement at Ward 2A of Evin Prison with uncertain status. Intelligence agents arrested her at her home in Tehran on December 8, 2020. Ms. Mohammad-Nejad, 32, is a student of Russian language at Tehran’s Allameh Tabatabaii University. There is no information available on the charges for which she has been detained. LINK
Why the double standard on human rights with Saudi Arabia and Iran?
Why does President Biden consider Saudi Arabia a “pariah” nation but does not have the same level of animosity for the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose human rights history is at least as troubling as Saudi Arabia’s? LINK
Iran executes wrestler Mehdi Ali Hosseini
Despite pressure from the international community, and one of Iran’s top wrestlers, Iran carried out the execution of Mehdi Ali Hosseini. “The case of flagrant and systematic human rights violations in Iran must be referred to the UN Security Council, and the leaders of this regime must be brought to justice for four decades of crimes against humanity.” LINK
PROTESTS
Pensioners take to streets in January to demand trampled rights
This week pensioners in several cities in Iran took to the streets to protest their low pensions. Pensioners in Tehran, Karaj near the capital, Mashhad in northeastern Iran, Tabriz in northwestern Iran, and Isfanan and Arak in central Iran gathered in an organized effort on January 26 outside the Social Security Organization buildings to express their economic grievances and demand their delayed pensions. LINK
Iranians Continue Protests; at Least Five Rallies and Strikes on January 28
On Thursday, January 28, Iranians from different walks of life held at least five rallies and strikes in various cities. They protested the regime’s irresponsible and profiteering policies, which have led people’s lives into enormous dilemmas in different fields. LINK
COVID-19
Iran Has No Plans to Import COVID Vaccine
Various Iranian officials are now admitting – following the ban by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on importing the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines earlier this month – that the regime doesn’t plan on bringing in any vaccine that is approved by the World Health Organisation. LINK