Iran
- By Michael Scollon and
- Fereshteh Ghazi
How Mahsa Amini's Death Became A Rallying Call For Thousands Of Iranians
Sharmin Habibi recalls the circumstances of her husband's killing at the hands of Iran’s security forces. But she could be talking about any number of the protesters who died across the country during a brutal state crackdown on dissent over the past year.
"I was told that they did not kill him, that he must have had an enemy, that no officer had opened fire, and no bullets were fired," Habibi told RFE/RL's Radio Farda while speaking about the death of her husband, Fereydun Mahmudi.
More than 500 demonstrators have paid the ultimate price for expressing their outrage at the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman who died in police custody in Tehran on September 16, 2022, after being detained for allegedly violating the country’s controversial hijab law.
The 32-year-old Mahmudi was among the first to die -- and the first in Amini's hometown of Saghez, in the northwestern Kurdistan Province -- for his support of what began as a local call for an investigation into the 22-year-old woman’s suspicious death.
When the authorities responded with force and made clear they would not tolerate any dissent, the protests quickly spread as tens of thousands of people poured onto streets across the country.
The monthslong protests began as a rebuke against the brutal enforcement of the hijab, a key pillar of the Islamic republic. But they soon snowballed into one of the most sustained antiestablishment demonstrations against Iran’s theocracy, with some protesters calling for an end to clerical rule and demanding their social and political freedoms.
The most sustained protests and the deadliest crackdowns during the demonstrations occurred in regions that are home to ethnic minorities, including Kurds, Azeris, and Baluch, which have long-standing grievances against the state.
Women, Life, Freedom
Just hours after Amini was taken into custody by Iran's morality police on September 13, 2022, she was lying in a coma in what would be her death bed in a Tehran hospital.
How she went from a visit to the Iranian capital with her family to a grave in Saghez within a week was the question that sparked months of unrest.
Based on eyewitness accounts, her family maintained that Amini had been beaten by the morality police while being driven to a Tehran detention facility. The family also refuted officials' claims that she had fallen into a coma after a dispute with guards due to a preexisting health condition. During her brief stay at the Kasra Hospital in northern Tehran, images of her bleeding from one of her ears cast further doubts on the official narrative.
Upon hearing news of Amini's death, dozens of people gathered in the vicinity of the hospital, pinning the blame for what they called a murder squarely on the clerical establishment that had just weeks before vowed to punish violators of the hijab law.
Gatherers, including women who had removed their hijab, chanted: "We will kill the one who killed our sister" and "Down with the dictator," in reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Security forces, wary that the loose-knit protest would spread, quickly stepped in to block off streets and beat back participants with batons and warning shots.
The Secret Is Out
On the day of Amini's death, Kurdish political parties called for a general strike to be held in Kurdistan Province on September 19 to protest what they called a "state crime."
But by the time Amini's body arrived in Saghez for burial on September 17, public anger in the province -- where residents have long accused the authorities of suppressing and discriminating against the Kurdish ethnic minority -- was already at a fever pitch.
Backed by a large crowd that assembled before dawn in front of the small city's cemetery, Amini's family prevented security forces from burying her in secret, and announced that they would hold their own funeral.
"They tried to pressure us to bury Mahsa [in secret], which I said I would not allow under any circumstances and that the people and families and even her mother should be present," said Amini's father, Ahmad Amini. "At my insistence, the [funeral] plan was changed."
He also fiercely denied claims by Iranian officials that his daughter had had brain surgery at the age of five that may have contributed to her death, saying she was "perfectly healthy" and lamented that his request that a coroner examine bruises on her body was refused.
"My concern is that the authorities are spreading lies about my daughter every day," Ahmad Amini said.
More arrests and violence ensued after some mourners attempted to march toward the local governor's office.
"After the burial, the atmosphere in the city was highly securitized," Bakhtiar Khoshnam, head of the Mukrian news agency in Saghez, told Radio Farda. "The situation in Saghez resembled undeclared and unofficial martial law."
A Rallying Cry
Ahead of the anniversary of Amini's death, Habibi explained her husband's motivations to join the general strike that had been called in Saghez.
"Why was he so upset? [Amini’s] father said many times that there were no problems with her hijab, so why did they bring this calamity on this young girl?" Habibi told Radio Farda. "I said, 'I know you are upset. It is very difficult for me, too.'"
She begged Mahmudi not to go to the streets on September 19. But she said he could not get over the belief that he had to do something.
"I was sure he was going because he was very sad for Amini. He prayed and said goodbye to my son, but he didn't say anything to me," Habibi said.
"That night, when he did not come home, his cousin called and I told him that Fereydun had not returned,” she added. “He said that many people had been arrested and I collected our documents to head [to the police station] with my son."
It was an experience that was repeated countless times across the country over the course of the year.
The local police initially denied Mahmudi had been arrested, before reversing course and telling her that he had, all the while pressing Habibi for information about who her husband had been in contact with.
"It was 3 or 4 in the morning when we found out that he had been shot" near a mosque, Habibi said. Mahmudi had been beaten, both of his hands had been broken, and his body was riddled with bullets, she said.
Local officials then denied security forces had killed him or that any shots had been fired. But Habibi said she was also warned against holding a funeral for Mahmudi, because they "didn't want a crowd" like the one that had turned out for Amini's burial.
Despite the threat of repercussions, Mahmudi's went ahead with the funeral, laying him to rest just 200 meters from Amini's grave.
More News
Iran Approves Parliament Head, Five Others As Presidential Candidates
Iran's powerful Guardians Council approved the country's conservative parliament speaker and five other candidates to run in a June 28 election called after President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash last month.
The council on June 9 approved the candidacy of parliament head Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, 62, a former military commander who has been seen as a potential front-runner. In a speech last week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seemed to signal his support for Qalibaf, analysts said.
The council also approved the candidacies of reformist lawmaker Masud Pezeshkian; Saeed Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator and Khamenei’s representative on the Supreme National Security Council; Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani; Amir Hossein Qazizadeh Hashemi, a conservative deputy to Raisi; and Mostafa Purmohammadi, a hard-line former interior and justice minister.
It rejected an application of former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, a populist who carried out a harsh crackdown on dissent following his disputed reelection in 2009.
The council also rejected the proposed candidacy of Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker and nuclear negotiator.
On June 7, the government announced strict guidelines for the media during the abbreviated election campaign, barring any content deemed to discourage voter participation or to urge election boycotts. The regulations also criminalize the organizing of unsanctioned protests, strikes, or sit-ins.
The Guardians Council announcement came one day after the main coalition of reformists said it would only participate in the election if one of its proposed candidates were approved to run.
"We must have our own candidate," Azar Mansuri, leader of the Reform Front, told the Fars news agency.
Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and several other officials were killed on May 19 when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed in bad weather in a mountainous area near the country's border with Azerbaijan.
- By AFP
Iran's Reformists Condition Participation In Presidential Vote
The main coalition of reformists in Iran on June 8 said it would only participate in this month's presidential election if at least one of its candidates is approved to run, according to the reformist newspaper Etemad. "The Guardians Council cannot nominate a candidate for the reformist movement," the Fars news agency quoted Azar Mansuri, leader of the Reform Front, as saying. "We must have our own candidates." The June 28 presidential election seeks to replace ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a May 19 helicopter crash. The 80 hopefuls who submitted their candidacies will learn on June 13 whether they are approved by the Guardians Council, an unelected body dominated by conservatives that vets candidates for public office.
Iranian Protester's Death Sentence Struck Down By Supreme Court
Iran’s Supreme Court has overturned a death sentence handed to Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, arrested over his alleged involvement in the 2019 antiestablishment protests.
Babak Paknia, Vafaei Sani’s lawyer, said on June 8 that the Supreme Court had struck down his client’s death sentence “for a second time.” He did not say when the first death sentence had been overturned.
Paknia said the case would now go to a lower court.
Vafaei Sani was arrested in 2020 and convicted of “corruption on Earth” for allegedly “intentionally damaging” government buildings during the protests. “Corruption on Earth” is the most serious charge under Iran’s Islamic penal code and is punishable by death.
Last July, dozens of human rights activists appealed to Volker Turk, the United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, to intervene and help stop Vafaei Sani’s execution.
The unrest in November 2019 was sparked by a sudden rise in fuel prices but quickly turned into nationwide protests against the Islamic republic.
The authorities clamped down on the protests and imposed a weeklong total shutdown of the Internet. According to Amnesty International, at least 321 people were killed by Iranian security forces during the protests.
Last month, Amnesty said Iran had carried out at least 853 executions in 2023 -- a 48 percent rise from the previous year.
Agnes Callamard, the rights group’s chief, said the spike in recorded executions worldwide was “primarily down to Iran,” where she said the ruling establishment sought "to instill fear in the population and tighten their grip on power."
“The Iranian authorities showed complete disregard for human life and ramped up executions for drug-related offenses, further highlighting the discriminatory impact of the death penalty on Iran's most marginalized and impoverished communities," she said.
Iran Sets Restrictive Media Conditions In Run-Up To Presidential Election
The Iranian government has issued strict guidelines for media conduct in the run-up to Iran's presidential election, which was called after the recent death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash.
According to the newly published regulations, any content deemed to be aimed at discouraging voter turnout or promoting election boycotts, as well as organizing any form of unlicensed protest gatherings, strikes, or sit-ins, is now classified as "criminal."
The rules mimic previous mandates and carry severe punishments, including the potential for as many as 74 lashes, for those found in violation.
The initiative is part of the intense effort by the Iranian government to control the political narrative and suppress dissent amid historically low election enthusiasm due to the widespread disqualifications of candidates and aggressive suppression by authorities of any opposition.
Under Clause 74 of Iran’s presidential election law, all media outlets --including print, broadcast, and online platforms -- are prohibited from publishing anything deemed to be negative content about election candidates or suggesting that any group or individual withdraw from the race.
Violations can lead to severe repercussions, including the temporary shutdown of the offender's media operations and physical punishment for its managers and possibly the authors of such articles.
The guidelines also extend to social media, where the publication of any content deemed as insulting or slanderous against the regime, or that which stirs public discord or spreads false information, is forbidden.
The law specifies that no private complainant is required for the prosecution of these offenses, suggesting a proactive approach by the state in monitoring and regulating election-related discourse.
These developments occur amid a backdrop of increasing control over media and public opinion by the Iranian authorities, who have long used broad and vaguely defined charges to crack down on political activists and civil society.
The recent guidelines also underscore the government's intent to tighten its grip on all forms of expression and ensure a controlled electoral environment, sparking concerns among international observers about the state of freedom of speech and fair electoral practices in Iran.
In recent elections, the authorities severely limited the playing field by disqualifying most moderate and reformist candidates, which may have contributed to the low voter participation seen in recent balloting.
Rights groups have complained of an intensified clampdown on public expressions of discontent since Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several others died in the helicopter crash in a mountainous region of northwestern Iran in mid-May while returning from an official visit to Azerbaijan.
Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Concerns Grow For Detained Iranian Activist As His Whereabouts Remain Unknown
The family of Hossein Shanbehzadeh said they do not know where the Iranian literary editor and activist is after security officers arrested him for unknown reasons in the northwestern city of Ardabil.
The case highlights the tightening grip on freedom of expression in Iran by hard-line Islamists.
Shanbehzadeh’s detention on June 4 followed a viral response to a tweet by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in which the activist simply posted a period. The reply garnered more attention than Khamenei’s original tweet, which featured a photo with the Iranian national volleyball team.
In a statement released on June 6, Shanbehzadeh’s family said they were concerned for his well-being amid the severe accusations being leveled against him.
“Our primary concern is for Hossein's health, as we are unaware of the arresting authority and his place of detention," the family said while criticizing Iranian authorities for denying him basic legal rights, such as access to a lawyer and family contact.
The family’s statement came after the prosecutor of Ardabil reported the arrest of a "fugitive and a suspect sought by the Intelligence Ministry" whom it labeled as an "Israeli spy."
While the prosecutor did not directly name Shanbehzadeh, the Tasnim News Agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), identified him as the detainee.
Shanbehzadeh, known for his sharp criticism of the Iranian regime, has been a well-known activist in the digital realm. Operating under a pseudonym on social media platform X, he has been a vocal advocate for free expression. He has also edited influential literary works, including Naguib Mahfouz's Heritage And Life With Him.
In 2019, Shanbehzadeh faced imprisonment for "insulting the sanctities and the leader of the Islamic republic" due to his critical comments about Iran’s leadership on social media.
Iran Slams 'Unconstructive' Resolution By Nuclear Watchdog, Vows 'No Retreat'
Iran has criticized a resolution by the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling on Tehran to step up its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
The IAEA’s 35-nation board on June 5 voted 20-2, with 12 abstentions, to adopt the censure resolution tabled by Britain, France, and Germany -- the three Western European nations that are party to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and are known as the E3.
In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said it “strongly condemns” the resolution, which it described as a “political and unconstructive” move.
It added that Tehran is “committed to continue its technical cooperation” with the watchdog under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.
Ahead of the vote, Iran had warned that it would respond to the censure resolution.
Behruz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said after the adoption of the resolution that Tehran had “started taking steps” in response to the vote. He did not elaborate.
“Past experience should have proved to them [the West] that Iran does not retreat from its inalienable rights in the face of political pressure,” he said.
Nour News, an Iranian outlet affiliated with Ali Shamkhani, senior political adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, warned on June 6 that applying pressure on Tehran would only encourage it to expand its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, the Kayhan newspaper, whose chief editor is appointed by the supreme leader, on June 6 demanded the expulsion of all IAEA inspectors from Iran. It also alleged that the resolution was meant to influence Iran’s upcoming presidential election by forcing voters to elect a government willing to negotiate with the West.
Despite its adoption, the resolution did not receive as many votes in favor as the last two resolutions. A June 2022 resolution was adopted 30-2, while a November 2022 resolution was passed 26-2.
Iran responded to the June 2022 resolution by removing IAEA cameras and monitoring equipment from several nuclear sites. In reaction to the November 2022 censure, Tehran started to enrich uranium to 60 percent purity at a second site, the Fordo plant.
In September 2023, despite there being no resolution against Iran, the Islamic republic moved to bar several experienced UN inspectors from monitoring its equipment.
The new resolution calls on Iran to reinstate the veteran inspectors.
Iran insists that it has been cooperative with the IAEA, but the agency’s director-general, Rafael Grossi, maintains that Tehran has failed to provide “technically credible” explanations for traces of uranium found in two old but undeclared sites.
Damon Golriz, a lecturer at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that the resolution may be a step by European powers toward “taking a political decision” to trigger a “snapback” of UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Iran.
The “snapback” mechanism is outlined in UNSC Resolution 2231, which enshrined the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. However, the option to reimpose the sanctions expires in October 2025.
“With the activation of the ‘snapback’ mechanism, we go back to how things were 15 years ago, when six UN resolutions obliged the world to put Iran under pressure,” Golriz said.
Written by Kian Sharifi based on reporting by RFE/RL’s Radio Farda and AP
Iranian Blogger Detained After Posting Only A Period In Response To Ayatollah's Picture
Hossein Shanbehzadeh, an Iranian literary editor and online activist, has been detained for unknown reasons in the northwestern city of Ardabil.
Family sources said on June 4 that Shanbehzadeh confirmed his detention in a phone call.
The case highlights ongoing tensions in Iran regarding freedom of expression, particularly on social media, and adds to the growing concern over the treatment of intellectuals and activists in the country.
Shanbehzadeh, known for his biting criticism of the authorities, said he wasn't informed of the reason for his detention, but it comes after he posted a simple period in a social media response to a tweet by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posing with the Iranian national volleyball team.
The response went viral, garnering more likes than the original tweet by Khamenei.
Soon after, Shanbehzadeh's account on X (previously known as Twitter) was inaccessible, with his last post on it authored by someone else, according to his brother Abbas.
It's not the first time Shanbehzadeh has faced legal issues over his online activities.
In 2019, he was sentenced to prison on charges of "insulting the sanctities and the leader of the Islamic republic" for critical comments about Iran's leadership.
His professional work includes editing prominent literary works such as Naguib Mahfouz's Heritage And Life With Him, in addition to being a well-known social media activist.
Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
IAEA Calls For Iran To Increase Cooperation, End Ban On Inspectors
The board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on June 5 approved a resolution calling on Iran to step up cooperation with the IAEA and to reconsider its decision to bar the agency's inspectors.
The resolution, proposed by Britain, France, and Germany, passed 20-2 with 12 abstentions, diplomats said. The two no votes were cast by Russia and China.
Iranian state TV said passage of the resolution "was hasty and unwise, and it will undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on the process of diplomatic engagement and constructive cooperation" between Iran and the opposite parties.
The resolution follows another passed 18 months ago that ordered Iran to immediately respond to questions from IAEA inspectors about the origin of uranium particles found at its undeclared sites.
Although the number of sites under inspection has decreased from three to two, the IAEA says that Iran has not yet given the agency a convincing explanation about the origin of these uranium particles.
Britain, France, and Germany said in a statement to the Board of Governors it should have held Iran accountable for its legal obligations long ago.
The statement emphasizes that "Iran must urgently, fully, and unambiguously cooperate with the agency."
Since the approval of the previous resolution, the list of issues faced by the IAEA in Iran has grown, and the new resolution requires Iran to resolve these numerous problems.
At the end of last summer, Tehran barred the participation of many senior IAEA experts in the inspection group, which IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said was "disproportionate and unprecedented" and a "serious blow" to the UN nuclear watchdog in carrying out its mission.
The board "calls on Iran to reverse its withdrawal of the designations of several experienced agency inspectors which is essential to fully allow the agency to conduct its verification activities in Iran effectively," the resolution said.
The resolution called the presence of these uranium-enrichment experts in inspections of Iran's nuclear activities "vital."
Grossi traveled to Iran last month hoping to break a deadlock on the probe into the uranium particles, address the issue of the barred inspectors, and expand IAEA monitoring to parts of Iran's nuclear program that were covered under a 2015 deal with major powers.
The deal fell apart after Iran responded to the U.S. withdrawal from the deal in 2018 by abandoning its provisions, including IAEA monitoring of activities such as the production of parts for centrifuges, the machines that enrich uranium.
The agency currently does not know how many Iran has or where they are.
With reporting by Reuters
- By Current Time
Iranian Fined In Russia For Sweatshirt With Ukrainian Symbols
A Moscow court on June 5 fined an Iranian for wearing a sweatshirt featuring national symbols of Ukraine and a slogan calling for support of Ukraine in its efforts to repel invading Russian troops. The court found 30-year-old Hossein Heydari guilty of discrediting the Russian military and ordered him to pay a 50,000 ruble ($557) fine. Two days earlier, a court in Russia's southwestern city of Astrakhan ordered Azerbaijani Calal Alizada to pay 30,000 rubles ($334) and deported him from the country for wearing a shirt with Ukrainian symbols. To read the original story by Current Time. click here.
Husband Of Jailed Dual National Says Family 'Duped' By Iranian Judiciary
An imprisoned British-Iranian woman who had been led to believe that she would be eligible for early release in late May is still being held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, her husband told RFE/RL.
Nasrin Roshan, 60, was arrested in November 2023 at Imam Khomeini International Airport as she was leaving the country after visiting her sick aunt.
Arash Asiabi, Roshan's husband, said she was detained for attending a ceremony in Egypt to commemorate Iran's late shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and for taking part in demonstrations against the Islamic republic abroad.
Roshan was ultimately convicted of "assembly and collusion against the establishment" and "propaganda" against the Islamic republic. She was initially sentenced to more than four years in prison, which was later reduced to three years.
Roshan was detained at the airport along with a 20-year-old relative, Sara Tabrizi. Tabrizi was eventually freed but soon after she mysteriously died at home in March.
Asiabi said Roshan was summoned by a judge shortly after Tabrizi's death and told that her sentence had been reduced to 13 months. He said the family was advised against publicizing her arrest to avoid antagonizing the authorities.
But when her lawyer sought to apply for her early release in May after she had spent six months in prison, the authorities denied that her sentence had been reduced.
"We realized last week that they had duped us," Asiabi said. "When her lawyer met with the prosecutor, they said it was an administrative error."
Roshan has had depression for years and is currently in a "terrible" state worsened by being away from her child, Asiabi said.
He added that she was recently diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse -- a heart condition.
Asiabi said he was now trying to get the British government involved in his wife's case.
Written by Kian Sharifi based on an interview by Kianush Faried of RFE/RL's Radio Farda
- By Kian Sharifi
Iranian Officer Killed in Suspected Israeli Air Strikes In Syria
An Iranian officer described as a military adviser has been killed in suspected Israeli air strikes near the Syrian city of Aleppo, nearly two months after the Islamic republic warned it would retaliate against attacks on its interests.
Saeed Abyar, a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), was one of 17 people killed in the attack during the early hours of June 3, the IRGC-linked Tasnim news agency reported.
Neither the IRGC nor the Iranian government has officially commented on the Aleppo strike. However, Iran’s caretaker foreign minister, Ali Baqeri Kani, arrived in Syria on June 4 on the second leg of a regional tour that started in Lebanon a day earlier.
Abyar is the first IRGC officer killed in an Israeli strike since the April 1 bombing of the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus. That attack killed seven members of the IRGC, including two generals.
Iran responded by launching an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel and warned that a "new equation" had been established whereby Tehran would retaliate against any Israeli attacks on its interests in the region.
Raz Zimmt, a senior researcher at the Israeli-based Institute for National Security Studies, told RFE/RL that Israel's intended target was likely an ammunition depot and Abyar was one of over a dozen people who were near the impact site.
Regardless, he said, Israel has shown it is not deterred by Iran’s threats of retaliation as shown by its continued strikes in Syria, where the IRGC has for years maintained a contingent of so-called military advisers.
"I'm not convinced Iran -- and thus Israel -- understands what the 'new equation' is," Zimmt argued. "It is improbable that Iran meant to retaliate to every attack on an Iranian target in Syria with a direct attack on Israel, let alone the accidental killing of an Iranian officer."
Tehran has maintained a heavy military presence in Syria, while Israel has periodically carried out attacks against Iranian-linked sites in the country, often targeting IRGC commanders.
- By RFE/RL
U.S., EU Impose Sanctions On Iranian Entities, Individual Linked To Drone Sector
The United States and the EU have imposed sanctions on four Iranian entities and one individual connected to the development, manufacture, and proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which Tehran has provided to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, the U.S. State Department said on June 3. "The Iranian regime provides to Russia and militant proxies and partners [UAVs] to prolong conflict and destabilize the region," the statement said. The action targets four entities associated with U.S.-designated Rayan Roshd Afzar Company; an Iranian executive of Iran Aviation Industries Organization; a subsidiary of the U.S.-designated Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, which oversees UAV manufacturers, including Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company; and Qods Aviation Industries.
- By AFP
Iran's Top Diplomat Confirms Talks With U.S.
Iran's acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri, on June 3 said his government was engaged in negotiations with arch-foe the United States that are being hosted by the Gulf sultanate of Oman. Asked about the issue at a news conference during a visit to Beirut, Bagheri said that "we have always continued our negotiations...and they have never stopped." Washington and Tehran have not had diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The British daily Financial Times reported in March that Bagheri was involved in indirect talks with the United States in Oman in early 2024, against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions over Israel's war in the Gaza Strip.
Iran's Parliament Speaker, Pegged As Potential Front-Runner, Registers For Presidential Vote
Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf -- a former military commander -- has registered for Iran’s June 28 presidential election, joining a list of some three dozen mostly hard-line candidates seeking to replace Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in mid-May.
Qalibaf's registration came on June 3, the final day for potential candidates to apply to participate in the election.
The conservative Guardians Council – featuring 12 hard-liners approved by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – will vet candidates and announce on June 11 which ones will be allowed to compete.
The Guardians Council generally allows only candidates acceptable to Khamenei and other hard-liners to run, and Qalibaf had been pegged by observers as a front-runner in the presidential race.
Qalibaf, 62, has sought the presidency three times in the past -- running in 2005, 2013, and 2017. He withdrew in 2017 in favor of Raisi, who finished second to the moderate incumbent Hassan Rohani.
Qalibaf served as a commander of Iran's hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) from 1997 to 2000, as Iran's chief of police from 2000-05, and as mayor of Tehran from 2005-17.
He was blamed by many critics for a violent crackdown on anti-government protesters in 2003.
Iranian news agencies reported on June 3 that Eshagh Jahangiri, seen by many as a reformist and who had been banned from running in previous elections, also had registered. Jahangiri served as vice president to Rohani from 2013-21.
On June 1, former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, 67, a longtime enemy of reformists, registered to join the list of overwhelmingly hard-line candidates seeking to replace Raisi.
Ahmadinejad’s announcement follows similar moves by a former IRGC commander who is under U.S. sanctions, Vahid Haghanian; Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani; and the longtime former speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani.
Iranian media reported that at least 37 people had registered heading into the final day before the deadline.
Iran's presidential votes and other elections are plagued by low turnout that has worsened in recent years, spurred by disqualifications and crackdowns on dissent.
Rights groups have complained of an intensified clampdown on public expressions of discontent since Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several others died in the helicopter crash in a mountainous region of northwestern Iran while returning from an official visit to Azerbaijan.
Raisi had been accused of serving as a prosecutor for an "execution committee" that sent thousands of political prisoners and regime opponents to their deaths in the late 1980s.
Iranian Newspaper Accuses Taliban Consulate Staff Of 'Torturing' Photographer
A centrist Iranian newspaper has accused a Taliban representative in Iran of “torturing” a photographer, ultimately leading to his expulsion from the country.
The Jomhuri-ye Eslami newspaper claimed on June 1 that a Taliban representative in the Afghan Consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad had “dragged” the unnamed Iranian photographer into the consulate and “tortured” him.
The paper said the photographer later filed a complaint against the “diplomat,” identified as “Dr. Salim,” which ultimately resulted in him being expelled from Iran and replaced by another Taliban representative.
The newspaper has been a staunch critic of the Taliban since the group seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 and has questioned Tehran’s willingness to maintain relations with the group.
In its report, Jomhuri-ye Eslami alleged that “Dr. Salim” was one of three “diplomats” who had moved into the consulate prior to receiving Iran’s approval. It described the move as a “sign of disrespect toward Iran.”
In the same piece, the newspaper claimed that the same trio had “kidnapped” Qari Eisa Mohammadi, a prominent Afghan opposition figure based in Germany who had traveled to Mashhad several months ago.
According to Mohammadi, he was held “prisoner” in the consulate for several days until Iranian authorities secured his release.
The authorities in Iran have been criticized for maintaining relations with the Taliban after it took control in Afghanistan. The Islamic republic has kept its embassy in Kabul open and handed over the Afghan Embassy in Tehran to the Taliban.
Nevertheless, Iran has not formally recognized the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan and has called for the formation of an inclusive government.
Since the extremist group seized power in Kabul, Iran and the Taliban have had disputes over water rights and engaged in sporadic border clashes.
Family Of French Citizen Held In Iran In The Dark Over Her Fate
The family of Cecile Kohler, a French teacher held by authorities in Iran for over two years, say they have not heard from her since late April.
Kohler and her partner, Jacques Paris, were arrested in Tehran in May 2022 as they were wrapping up a sightseeing holiday in Iran. They have been accused of fomenting unrest and spying.
"The last time we heard from her was on April 22, when she managed to call our mother for three to four minutes," Cecile’s sister Noemie Kohler told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda on June 2.
"We have been waiting to hear from her for over 1 1/2 months with little hope. It is extremely worrying not to have received any signs that she’s alive," she added.
She said Kohler and her partner "have been cut off from the outside world" and that their families were unable to send them anything.
In a statement on May 7 to mark two years since their arrest, the French Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as the Islamic republic’s "policy of state hostage-taking and ongoing blackmail by the Iranian authorities."
In October 2022, Kohler and Paris appeared in a televised video "confessing" to spying on Iran. Broadcasting what rights groups describe as “forced” televised confessions is a common practice in the Islamic republic and has been condemned.
The French couple are among at least 10 Western citizens held in Iran on security-related charges that include spying.
Iran has been accused by Western powers and rights groups of arbitrarily arresting citizens of Western countries to use as bargaining chips.
On May 27, the families of four French nationals jailed in Iran traveled to Geneva to ask relevant UN workgroups to investigate their arrests.
Noemie said the purpose is to highlight the “arbitrary nature” of the arrests through investigations.
“Our goal is to start a global struggle to bring the attention of international bodies to the arrests of our loved ones. We hope to be able to secure their release this way,” she said.
Written by Kian Sharifi based on an interview by Shahab Amoupour of RFE/RL’s Radio Farda
- By Reuters
Iran Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Gulf Islands
Iran's Foreign Ministry has summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tehran to protest about a China-U.A.E. statement related to Iran's sovereignty over three Islands also claimed by the U.A.E., Iranian state media reported on June 2. The islands - Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb -- are claimed by both countries but have been held by Iran since 1971, shortly before the seven Gulf emirates gained full independence from Britain and formed the U.A.E., which is now allied with Washington. "Iran's objection to the Chinese support of baseless claims in a shared U.A.E.-China statement has been expressed to the Chinese ambassador in Tehran," state media said. China has been one of Iran's biggest trading partners for the past decade.
Iran Summons Swedish Diplomat Over Accusation It's Organizing Attacks On Israeli Embassies
Iran has summoned the Swedish acting charge d'affaires in Tehran over what it alleges were "baseless and malicious" remarks, Tehran said on June 2, after Sweden's Sapo intelligence service accused Iran of "using criminal networks" in Sweden to attack Israeli embassies in Europe since October 7 and otherwise threaten the Scandinavian country's security. Iranian Press TV quoted the Foreign Ministry as telling the Swedish diplomat that the claims by Swedish counterintelligence head Daniel Stenling of Iranian recruitment "to target the Israeli [government's] interests" were "based on incorrect information." Israel's Mossad intelligence agency publicly accused Iran of carrying out attacks on Israeli embassies since the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians and troops ignited the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has been declared a terrorist group by the United States and European Union.
Iran's Ex-President Ahmadinejad Joins Hard-Line Field To Replace Raisi
Iranian ex-President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has joined a growing list of overwhelmingly hard-line candidates in a presidential election later this month to replace the late Ebrahim Raisi, who died along with Iran's foreign minister in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijani border in mid-May.
Ahmadinejad announced his intention to run on June 1, and state media reported on June 2 that the 67-year-old and longtime enemy of reformists had registered.
His announcement follows similar pledges by a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) who is under U.S. sanctions, Vahid Haghanian, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, and the longtime former speaker of Iran's parliament, Ali Larijani.
Ahmadinejad, Larijani, and other potentially competitive contenders were barred from running against Raisi in the 2021 presidential election by vetting institutions that routinely ban moderates and other challengers from Iran's tightly controlled elections.
Candidate registration for the June 28 election closes on June 3. The Guardians Council will announce the final list of candidates on June 11 after it has completed its vetting procedures.
Before his death, the former prosecutor Raisi was widely seen as a potential successor to 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate political and religious power under Iran's clerically dominated system.
Ahmadinejad served two terms between 2005 and 2013, and his second term was dogged by fierce protests over his disputed reelection in 2009 and a brutal crackdown. He appeared increasingly willing to challenge Khamenei publicly as his presidential tenure mounted.
Haghanian was designated for sanctions by the United States in 2019 for his role in Khamenei's "inner circle responsible for advancing the regime's domestic and foreign oppression."
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a news release announcing the sanctions that Haghanian had been "referred to as the supreme leader's right hand.”
Zakani was approved to run in the last presidential election but withdrew after some of his rivals nicknamed him the "cover candidate" of Raisi.
Former lawmaker Zohreh Elahian, who has been designated by the European Union for sanctions, on June 1 became the first woman to successfully apply to run.
Former chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on May 30 became the first political heavyweight to register his candidacy.
Other candidates have also applied.
Iran's presidential and other elections are plagued by low turnout that has worsened in recent years, spurred by disqualifications and crackdowns on dissent.
Rights groups have complained of an intensified clampdown on public expressions of discontent since Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several others died in the helicopter crash in a mountainous region of northwestern Iran while returning from an official visit to Azerbaijan.
Raisi had been accused of serving as a prosecutor for an "execution committee" that sent thousands of political prisoners and regime opponents to their deaths in the late 1980s.
Supreme Leader Ally, Tehran Mayor Register To Run In Iran's Presidential Race
A former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) who is under U.S. sanctions and the mayor of Tehran are among the politicians who registered their intent to run in Iran's presidential election later this month.
Vahid Haghanian, the former IRGC commander and a member of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's inner circle, and Teheran Mayor Alireza Zakani will have to wait to see if their candidacies are approved by the Guardians Council, a 12-member body of jurists that vets all candidates for public office.
Candidate registration for the June 28 election closes on June 3. The Guardians Council will announce the final list of candidates on June 11 after it has completed its vetting procedures.
The council disqualified several reformist and moderate candidates from the last presidential election in 2021.
This year's election was called after President Ebrahim Raisi was killed on May 19 in a helicopter crash.
Haghanian was designated for sanctions by the United States in 2019 for his role in Khamenei's "inner circle responsible for advancing the regime's domestic and foreign oppression."
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a news release announcing the sanctions that Haghanian had been "referred to as the supreme leader's right hand.”
His presence close to Khamenei at most ceremonies has been noted, and there had been rumors about his role and influence in Khamenei's office.
Speaking at election headquarters, Haghanian said he had forged close ties with key officials in state institutions "during 45 years of service in the presidential administration and the office of the supreme leader."
He said his decision to run was "personal," and he described himself as "fully familiar with the issues of the country."
Zakani, the current mayor of Tehran, was approved by the Guardians Council in the last election. But he withdrew after some of his rivals nicknamed him the "cover candidate" of Raisi.
Zakani, asked by a reporter if he was ready for this year's election, smiled but did not answer.
Masud Pezeshkian, a member of parliament, also entered the Interior Ministry building on June 1 to apply to run in the election. He previously said that he would not be a "cover candidate" for Raisi.
Former lawmaker Zohreh Elahian, who has been designated by the European Union for sanctions, on June 1 became the first woman to successfully apply to run. Four other women previously applied to register, but the head of the country's election headquarters said none of them met the necessary conditions.
Fadahosein Maliki, a member of parliament and the head of the headquarters for combating goods and currency smuggling in the second government of Mahmud Ahmadinejad, also registered his candidacy on June 1.
Former chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili on May 30 became the first political heavyweight to register his candidacy. The hard-liner is close to Khamenei and was his chief of staff in the early 2000s. He currently serves as one of Khamenei's two representatives in the Supreme National Security Council.
Another well-known politician who has registered is Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker and nuclear negotiator. He registered his candidacy on May 31.
Once considered a political heavyweight, Larijani was surprisingly disqualified from running in 2021 by the Guardians Council, whose members are directly and indirectly appointed by Khamenei.
Wide disqualifications by the Guardians Council in previous parliamentary and presidential elections and violence against anti-government protesters are among the reasons for low voter turnout.
With reporting by Reuters
- By RFE/RL
EU Expands Sanctions On Iran Over Drone Transfers To Russia, Proxies
The Council of the European Union on May 31 placed sanctions on three Iranian entities and six individuals over their involvement in the transfer of drones to Russia and Tehran’s regional allies.
The move comes two weeks after the bloc opted to expand the scope of its restrictive measures against Iran because of its military support of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as its backing for the ‘axis of resistance’ -- a loose network of Iran’s regional allies and proxies.
The EU put sanctions on the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which coordinates military operations and is in charge of the armed forces' operational command and control. The bloc said it had also blacklisted one of its commanders.
It has also imposed sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGC-N), over its involvement in the delivery of weapons, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Yemen's Huthi rebels and the Lebanese Hizballah, among other armed groups.
Kavan Electronics Behrad, a company based in Iran, has been included in sanctions for procuring and selling components used in the production of drones. The company's chief executive and the chairman of its board of directors have also been added to sanctions.
The EU has also blacklisted Defense Minister Mohammadreza Ashtiani, IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, and Afshin Khalajifard, who leads the EU-sanctioned Iranian Aviation Industries Organization.
"Those targeted will be subject to an asset freeze and travel ban to the European Union. Additionally, the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of natural or legal persons, entities or bodies listed is prohibited," the council said in a statement.
Iran has denied supplying drones to Russia to use against Ukraine.
Earlier this week, several EU member states renewed efforts to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization on the basis of a German court ruling.
Abram Paley, the U.S. point man on Iran, has said Washington "absolutely" supports efforts to blacklist the IRGC "worldwide."
The United States designated the IRGC in 2019, which Iran reciprocated by labeling U.S. Central Command as a terrorist organization.
With reporting by AP
- By RFE/RL
Iran's Presidential Hopefuls Register To Run For Early Election After Raisi's Death
Nine presidential hopefuls so far have registered their candidacy to run in Iran's June 28 election, including a conservative heavyweight and a moderate who was barred from running in the 2021 presidential election.
The five-day registration period opened on May 30 and will close on June 3. The final list of candidates approved by the conservative-dominated Guardians Council will be released on June 11.
The early election was triggered by the May 19 death of President Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-line cleric who died in a helicopter crash along with seven other people, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Based on Iranian state media reporting, former chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili was the first political heavyweight to register his candidacy on May 30. The hard-liner is close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and ran his office in the early 2000s. He currently serves as one of Khamenei’s two representatives in the Supreme National Security Council.
Jalili has long championed a hard-line stance against the West and was a major critic of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers.
The 58-year-old first ran for president in 2013, finishing third with just over 11 percent of the votes. He also ran in the 2021 election but dropped out in favor of Raisi.
Another big name that has signed up is Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker and nuclear negotiator who registered his candidacy on May 31.
Once considered a political heavyweight, the 65-year-old moderate politician was surprisingly disqualified from running in the 2021 presidential election by the Guardians Council, whose members are directly and indirectly appointed by Khamenei.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) late on May 30, Larijani hinted that he had received the Iranian leader’s blessing to run in the election. He posted a map copied from a local ride-hailing application that showed the pickup location as Khamenei’s office and his first destination as the Interior Ministry to register his candidacy. The presidential palace was designated as the final destination.
Abdolnasser Hemmati, a moderate former central bank chief who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2021, also threw his hat in the ring on May 31.
Hemmati, 67, was the only nonconservative to be allowed to run in the 2021 election, securing less than 10 percent of the votes. There were more spoiled ballots than votes for Hemmati that year.
Another well-known name to register is Mostafa Kavakebian, a reformist politician and two-term lawmaker who was barred from the 2021 election.
Speculation in Iranian media suggests that a handful of prominent conservative names and low-profile reformist figures might sign up in the next few days.
More than 35 people have sought to register their candidacy since May 30, but the vast majority did not meet the requirements, according to a spokesman for Iran's election headquarters.
Since 2020, Iran has held two parliamentary and a presidential election, all of which saw record-low turnouts.
In recent elections, the authorities severely limited the playing field by disqualifying many moderate and reformist candidates, which may have contributed to the low voter participation. This was especially evident in February’s parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections, which were held concurrently.
But analysts say the public's disillusionment with the establishment has reached a point where even if the moderate voices were allowed to run, it would not have made a significant impact on voter turnout.
Pakistan Says 4 Citizens Killed After Iranian Border Guards Open Fire
Iranian border guards opened fire on a vehicle carrying Pakistani citizens near the border village of Mashkel in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan Province, killing four people and injuring two others.
Omar Jamali, the deputy commissioner of Pakistan’s Washuk district, confirmed the shooting in the Washuk region, close to the border where violence often erupts.
Sahibzada Asfand, a government administrator, said the circumstances that prompted the gunfire remain unclear.
Neither Tehran nor the Pakistani Foreign Ministry have commented on the incident.
The shooting comes amid already strained relations between Iran and Pakistan, which have seen a significant escalation in incidents between the two countries.
In January, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) launched an attack in Pakistan's Balochistan Province, killing two children.
Tehran claimed it was targeting the Sunni Baluch militant group Jaish al-Adl, which is designated as a terrorist entity by both Iran and the United States.
In a retaliatory move, Pakistani warplanes conducted air strikes on alleged militant targets in Iran on January 18, resulting in at least nine deaths, including six children and two women. This marked a severe escalation in the conflict between the two nations.
In an effort to de-escalate the situation, the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Pakistan in early May.
His visit was aimed at mending relations through diplomatic engagements, described as critical for normalizing ties between Tehran and Islamabad.
Raisi died on May 19 in a helicopter accident.
The military actions in January targeted separatist factions. Islamabad attacked bases of the Baluch Liberation Front and the Baluchistan Liberation Army, while Tehran focused on the militant group Jaish al-Adl.
These groups operate in the mineral-rich, underdeveloped provinces of Balochistan in Pakistan and Sistan-Baluchistan in Iran, regions long plagued by instability.
The porous, 900-kilometer border between Iran and Pakistan has been difficult to control, allowing various militant groups, particularly those with Baluch nationalist ideologies, to operate in the area.
Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
No U.S. Representatives Will Attend UN Memorial For Iran's Raisi
The United States will not send representatives to a UN memorial ceremony for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a State Department spokesperson told RFE/RL. The United Nations on May 29 announced plans to hold the memorial ceremony on May 30, and UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis said member states were encouraged to deliver statements paying tribute to Raisi. The announcement sparked criticism from rights activists, who decried a move to honor a man they refer to as the "Butcher of Tehran" over his alleged role in the mass execution of political prisoners in 1988. Raisi died in a helicopter crash on May 19 along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and several other officials.
New Charges Filed Against Jailed Iranian Rights Activist, Her Brothers
Iran's judiciary has filed new charges against Fatemeh Sepehri, a prominent opponent of the Islamic republic, and her two brothers, who are also imprisoned, for "insulting" current and former leaders of the Islamic republic.
Asghar Sepehri, Fatemeh's brother, revealed the charges on social media, saying they were added to their case files by Ali Soleymani Marshk, an investigating judge in Mashhad, after a court session on May 6.
Details of the charges were not immediately available.
The charges for being critical of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini follow the arrest of the siblings in October 2023, just a day before Fatemeh Sepehri was scheduled for surgery at Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad.
In September 2023, her brothers Mohamad-Hossein Sepehri and Hossein Sepehri were detained.
Fatemeh Sepehri, a vocal critic of the Iranian regime, has been detained for more than 20 months.
Her family has reported that her communications from prison are heavily monitored.
Fatemeh Sepehri is one of 14 activists in Iran who have publicly called for Khamenei to step down. She has been arrested and interrogated several times in recent years.
Sepehri and the other activists have also called for a new political system within the framework of a new constitution that would secure dignity and equal rights for women.
Criticism of Khamenei, who has the last say on almost every decision in Iran, is considered a red line in Iran, and his critics often land in prison, where political prisoners are routinely held in solitary confinement and subjected to various forms of torture.
Sepehri was arrested in September 2022 as protests erupted across the country over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was taken into custody by the morality police for allegedly violating the country's hijab law and died while in detention.
In March 2023, a Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 18 years in prison on various charges, including "collaboration with hostile states" and "propaganda against the regime."
The sentence was upheld on appeal, but according to Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, only 10 years of her sentence are enforceable.
Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
