Let's talk Iran - October 1, 2021
A Historic Victory for Human Rights
In a landmark decision last week, a Swiss federal court ordered the reopening of investigations into the assassination of one of #Iran ’s most renowned human rights advocates, the late Dr. Kazem Rajavi. It is high time to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its state-orchestrated crimes against humanity. LINK
With every execution, the Iranian regime is driving a nail in its own coffin
After spending 20 years in Iran’s harsh prisons, Abbas-Gholi Salehi was executed on Wednesday morning in Isfahan’s Dastgerd prison. Iran’s regime executed Salehi while he had been acquitted of the charges that had sentenced him to death.
On Tuesday, the regime informed Salehi’s family that he had been sentenced to death in an immediate court ruling and the sentence would be carried out the next day. LINK
Iranian prisoner killed under torture in northwestern city
A prisoner was killed under torture in Urmia, northwestern Iran. According to reports, the prisoner was identified as Shahin Dirzadeh. Shahin was detained for getting into a fight with his neighbor and sentenced to one year and three months of prison. Shahin got in a fight with prison agents in Section 15 and two prisoners witnessed he was taken away. This is the fourth case in September that a prisoner was killed under torture in Iran’s prisons. LINK
Iran’s Supreme Court upholds political prisoner’s death sentence
Regime authorities have sentenced political prisoner Shaker Behrouzi to death in Urmia, northwest Iran. Twelve witnesses say the case has been forged by the regime's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) against Behrouzi. LINK
Israeli intelligence firm claims ‘secret missile base’ in Iran severely damaged
In the photographs, at least a quarter of the building, which the company — ImageSat International — said was a “secret missile base” belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, can be seen completely destroyed, while additional damage can be seen on the roof along the entire structure. LINK
Blinken says ball in Iran's court on nuclear deal
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed warnings Thursday that time was running out for Iran to return to a nuclear deal, saying it was up to Tehran to act.
"The ball remains in their court, but not for long," Blinken told reporters in Pittsburgh where he took part in US-EU trade talks. "There is a limited runway on that, and the runway is getting shorter." LINK
Iran plays for time as pessimism grows over nuclear talks
While the world waits, Iran is building out its nuclear capacity, with experts warning that the country’s “breakout time” — the amount of time it would need to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a bomb — is getting shorter.
Iran may consider the U.S. “weak” at the moment, the diplomat added, given its recent series of diplomatic squabbles, from the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal to a fallout with France over a canceled submarine contract. This perception could encourage Iran to harden its negotiating position, the senior diplomat said. LINK
Norway charges professor with violating sanctions on Iran
A German-Iranian professor at a Norwegian technical university was charged Wednesday with violating sanctions on Iran by inviting four guest researchers from the Islamic Republic and giving them access to a laboratory.
“The serious thing here is that people from Iran had access to knowledge, and this is knowledge that could be useful to Iran’s nuclear program,” prosecutor Frederik Ranke told NRK. LINK
'We will remove you', Hezbollah official told Beirut blast judge
A senior official in the Iran-backed Hezbollah group told the judge investigating the disastrous 4 August 2020 Beirut port blast that it would remove him from the probe, according to a journalist who says she conveyed the message and a judicial source. LINK
Beset by inflation, Iranians struggle with high food prices
Many Iranians have been pushed into poverty. In the past year, the number of citizens living under the official poverty line — bringing home less than the equivalent of $46 a month — increased by nearly 40%, the government’s own figures show. LINK