Iran Opposition Leader Karroubi to be Freed from House Arrest, His Son Says
Iranian opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi will be released from house arrest on Monday, state media reported, 14 years after he was detained for calling for a rally in support of protests that swept the Arab world in 2011.
"My father was told by security agents that his house arrest will end today," his son Hossein Karroubi told state news agency IRNA, adding that security agents would remain at the premises until April 8 due to security concerns.
The 87-year-old, ailing mid-level cleric has remained defiant, questioning the legitimacy of the clerical establishment in statements published by pro-reform websites.
After calling for a rally in solidarity with pro-democracy uprisings, Karroubi - along with ex-prime minister Mirhossein Mousavi and his wife Zahra Rahnavard, a prominent academic - were put under house arrest in February 2011.
They have not been put on trial or publicly charged, Reuters reported.
Former parliament speaker Karroubi and Mousavi ran for election in 2009 and became figureheads for Iranians who staged eight months of mass protests after a vote they believed was rigged to bring back hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Karroubi's son Hossein told pro-reform Jamaran news website that his father demanded the release of Mousavi.
"They told my father that the same process ... would be carried out for Mousavi within the next few months and Mousavi too would be released," the Jamaran website quoted him as saying.
Iran's judiciary made no comment.
Karroubi, like Mousavi and Rahnavard, had been under round-the-clock surveillance by security guards initially living in his home. But conditions improved in past years for Karroubi, with some family and politicians allowed to visit him.
Suffering from various medical complications, Karroubi has been taken to hospital several times for heart surgery and treatment.
During his election campaign, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian promised to make an effort for their release.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
13 hours ago
- Leaders
Italian Puglia Region Cuts Ties with Israel over Gaza Genocide
The government of Italy's southern Puglia region has cut relations with Israel over its genocide in Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera. Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano stated that the Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Therefore, Emiliano called for an immediate suspension of all relations with all representatives of Israeli government. Emiliano also urged 'all managers and employees of the region, its agencies and participating companies to sever all relations of any kind with the institutional representatives of the Israeli government and with all those subjects attributable to it who are not openly and declaredly motivated by the desire to organize initiatives to stop the massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,' according to state-run ANSA news agency. Mounting Pressure on Israel Furthermore, Barcelona's city council voted to cut twin-city ties with Israel and suspend its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv over Israel's genocide in Gaza. 'The suffering and death in Gaza over the past year and a half, and recent attacks by the Israeli government, make any relationship unviable,' said Mayor Jaume Collboni during Friday's council session. The move seeks to cut all official relations with the Israeli government until they respect the international law and maintain fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. The city will also suspend a 1998 friendship agreement with Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Therefore, it urged the trade fair organizer Fira de Barcelona not to host any Israeli pavilions or companies which are part of the weapons trade or even profiting from the ongoing war in Gaza. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 53,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 118,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Arab Ministers Condemn Israel's Ban on West Bank Visit Israel Accepts Witkoff's New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal: Netanyahu Germany Threatens Israel with Arms Exports Halt Over Gaza Crisis Short link : Post Views: 1
Leaders
13 hours ago
- Leaders
Saudi FM Slams Israeli "Extremism" after West Bank Delegation Blockade
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud strongly condemned Israel's decision to block Arab ministers from entering the occupied West Bank. He described this move as clear evidence of Israel's 'extremism and rejection of peace.' His remarks came during a joint press conference held in Amman, Jordan, on Sunday alongside foreign ministers from Jordan, Egypt, and Bahrain. Arab-Islamic Committee Convenes Amid Crisis The meeting in Jordan aimed to address the ongoing war in Gaza, following the directives of the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas participated in the discussions via video call. The foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were expected to attend, along with Turkey and the secretary-general of the Arab League. However, Israel's decision to block the ministers' travel plans to Ramallah on Sunday disrupted these important discussions, which highlights the ongoing tensions and challenges in the region. Call for Palestinian Statehood During the press conference, Prince Faisal emphasized that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state remains the only viable solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. He stated, 'As Arabs and Muslims, we are only going to accept a Palestinian state.' His comments reflect a unified stance among Arab nations regarding the necessity of recognizing Palestine. Furthermore, he urged countries that support the two-state solution to reinforce their commitment by officially recognizing the state of Palestine. This recognition is crucial for advancing peace and stability in the region. In conclusion, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs' statements underscore the urgent need for dialogue and cooperation among Arab nations to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East. Short link : Post Views: 95
Saudi Gazette
17 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi FM: Israel's blocking of Ramallah meeting proof of ‘extremism'
Saudi Gazette report AMMAN — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday that the Israeli government's refusal to allow a delegation of Arab ministers to Ramallah in the occupied West Bank showed its 'extremism and rejection of peace.' Addressing a press conference in Amman after attending the extraordinary meeting of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza Strip, Prince Faisal also underscored that the creation of an independent Palestinian state is the only viable solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Prince Faisal said: "The committee praised the reform agenda that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is working on." He stressed that the Palestinian Authority is facing a party that does not want any solutions. "The Palestinian Authority continues to fulfill its duties, and is committed to the agreements. The authority is considered the rational party in the crisis," he said. Prince Faisal emphasized the importance of the international community's understanding of the true nature of Palestinian positions, which adopt a reformist approach to internal affairs, even in the most difficult circumstances. "This is aimed to fulfill their responsibilities toward the Palestinian people first, and then toward their neighbors and the international community," he said. The Saudi minister criticized Israel's negative approach toward protecting Palestinian rights. "We see nothing but violence, and in Gaza we see nothing but a war of extermination, and in the West Bank there are successive steps clearly aimed at weakening the Palestinian cause." He reiterated the Kingdom's position that those who adopt the approach of "no solution except through a two-state solution" must adopt positions that support this approach, including recognition of Palestine. Prince Faisal emphasized that Israel's actions, such as the refusal of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee's entry to the Palestinian city of Ramallah, clearly demonstrate the extent of Israel's understanding of the international position on the importance of alternative solutions. In the same context, he presented a viewpoint on the rumors, emphasizing the importance of countries that adopt a public policy stating that there is no solution to the Arab-Palestinian-Israeli conflict except through a viable two-state solution, underlining this position and allowing for the recognition of Palestine. This would send a clear message to Israel about the need to move forward in finding a path to establishing this state, reconciling and coexisting with it. Saudi foreign minister also stressed that European positions on Israel are not sufficient, saying: "As Arabs and Muslims, we will not accept any solution other than the establishment of a Palestinian state." It is noteworthy that the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza announced the postponement of its planned visit to Ramallah, scheduled for Sunday, due to Israel's obstruction of its mission by refusing the delegation's entry into the airspace of the occupied West Bank, which is controlled by Israel, according to a statement issued by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Jordan to attend the meeting of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee and supporting efforts to end the war and blockade on Gaza, as part of the committee's ongoing world tours. The Saudi minister said that the Palestine issue figured highly during his meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah.
