Latest news with #IranianGovernment
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Rights groups raise alarm over rise in executions of Afghan migrants in Iran
Kabul: Human rights groups have expressed serious concern over the growing number of executions of Afghan migrants in Iran, warning of rising injustice and lack of fair trials, Khaama Press reported. According to Iranian human rights organisations, at least 85 prisoners have been executed in Iranian prisons in the month following the Israel-Iran ceasefire. The Hengaw Human Rights Organisation reported that six of those executed were Afghan citizens, though their identities and charges were not disclosed. The rest included 15 Lur prisoners, 12 Turks, 12 Kurds, and six Baluch. Six individuals were also executed on charges of "spying for Israel," though it remains unclear whether any of them were Afghan nationals. Hengaw and other human rights groups say executions of Afghan citizens in Iran have sharply increased in recent years. In the first six months of 2025 alone, at least 40 Afghan nationals were executed, while 73 were executed in 2024, Khaama Press noted. Iran's broad application of the death penalty, including against Afghan migrants, has drawn sharp criticism from international human rights groups. They describe Tehran as one of the world's leading enforcers of capital punishment, Khaama Press reported. While many of these executions are reportedly tied to drug trafficking or political charges, rights monitors continue to raise alarms about opaque judicial processes. Trials often lack transparency and basic legal safeguards, raising serious concerns about due process for vulnerable individuals, including Afghan migrants, according to Khaama Press. Amid these concerns, Iran's Foreign Ministry said President Masoud Pezeshkian's recent comment about visiting Kabul was a personal gesture, not an official diplomatic plan, according to Khaama Press. Addressing a press conference in Tehran on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated, "There are no official plans for President Masoud Pezeshkian to visit Afghanistan at this time." He added that the president's recent comment expressing willingness to visit Kabul was "a personal expression of goodwill," not part of any scheduled visit. According to Khaama Press, the clarification follows remarks made by Pezeshkian to Foreign Ministry officials on Sunday, where he said he was "ready to travel to Kabul" to open a new chapter in bilateral relations. The Iranian Embassy in Kabul also shared Pezeshkian's statement on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, prompting speculation about whether Tehran may be considering a shift toward formal engagement with the Taliban-led administration. Khaama Press further reported that Baghaei addressed these speculations, stating, "Tehran has not made any decision on the matter yet," in reference to potential recognition of the Taliban government. He also said Iran respects Russia's recent move to recognize the Taliban regime but clarified that Iran has taken no similar step so far. Diplomatic observers cited by Khaama Press believe the clarification signals Iran's cautious approach as it seeks to balance potential outreach to Afghanistan with regional sensitivities and broader international expectations. Analysts noted that any future visit by Pezeshkian, if officially planned, would carry significant diplomatic weight, influencing Afghanistan's standing and Iran's strategic posture in the region.
CNA
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Trump warns Iran that its nuclear sites could be bombed again
TURNBERRY, Scotland: US President Donald Trump warned on Monday (Jul 28) that he would order fresh US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities should Tehran try to restart facilities that the United States bombed last month. Trump issued the threat as he held talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort on the western coast of Scotland. Iran, which denies seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, has insisted it will not give up domestic uranium enrichment despite the bombings of three nuclear sites. Trump told reporters that Iran has been sending out "nasty signals" and any effort to restart its nuclear programme will be immediately quashed. "We wiped out their nuclear possibilities. They can start again. If they do, we'll wipe it out faster than you can wave your finger at it," Trump said.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
IAEA visit to take place within two weeks: Iran
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says IAEA visit to take place within two weeks. Developing
New York Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Dry Taps, Empty Lakes, Shuttered Cities: A Water Crisis Batters Iran
Some of Iran's deepest reservoirs have shrunk to shallow ponds. Water pressure is so low in some cities that taps in apartment buildings run dry for hours on end. People desperately search for water tanks, and hoard every drop they can find. Temperatures are so high that one day last month a part of Iran saw a heat index of 149 degrees Fahrenheit, according to sites that track extreme weather, making it one of the hottest places on Earth. Iran is in the throes of an acute water crisis, on top of a monthslong energy shortage that has prompted daily scheduled power cuts across the country. Iranians still recovering from a 12-day war with Israel and the United States last month must now confront life without the basics. The government announced this week that many reservoirs, particularly those that supply the capital, Tehran, with drinking water, were drying out. Water supplies for Tehran are predicted to run out in just a few weeks, officials said, pleading with the public to reduce water consumption. 'The water crisis is more serious than what is being talked about today, and if we do not make urgent decisions today, we will face a situation in the future that cannot be cured,' President Masoud Pezeshkian said at a cabinet meeting on Monday, adding, 'We cannot continue this way.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
The 12 days that turned back the clock on Iran's nuclear program
Now that the rhetorical debris has settled from Israel's 12-day war with Iran, there's growing evidence that Iran's nuclear program suffered such severe damage that it will be neutered for at least a year, and probably far longer. 'Iran is no longer a threshold nuclear state,' one well-informed Israeli source told me. He said that Iran would now require at least one to two years to build a deliverable nuclear weapon, assuming it could somehow hide its activities. Tehran could conceivably try to demonstrate a crude nuclear device more quickly. But Israel would probably see the test coming and could mount a disabling attack, the source said.
