Latest news with #IsraelBombing
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Helpless and trapped': political prisoners stuck in Tehran jail with no way to flee bombings
When Mehraveh Khandan heard about Israel's evacuation order in Tehran last week, the first thing she thought of was her father. Reza Khandan, imprisoned for his human rights activism in 2024, was sitting in a cell in Tehran's Evin prison on the edge of the evacuation zone. She fielded calls from her friends, who were breathless from the shock of the Israeli bombs as tens of thousands fled the Iranian capital. Her father, by contrast, had no way to flee. He was stuck. 'It was the most helpless and trapped moments in my entire life. That was the clearest image for me of our situation as Iranians: one captures us, so the other can strike us,' the 25-year-old said from Amsterdam. On Monday, Mehraveh's worst fear was realised when Israel struck Evin prison. Grainy CCTV footage showed the entrance exploding and the gate crumbling, with Iran's judiciary confirming damage to parts of the prison. Relatives of prisoners told the Guardian there were injuries reported in wards four, seven and eight – where Reza was being held, though he was unharmed. 'Their heads are slightly injured from the force of the explosion, the blast wave caused their heads to hit the wall and swell,' said Hussein*, an Iran-based relative of the human rights lawyer Mohammed Najafi, who is imprisoned in ward four. 'The prisoners are worried.' The Guardian could not independently verify claims of injuries within the prison. Mehraveh is just one of many whose family members were detained for political reasons by the Iranian government. They now fear for the safety of their loved ones stuck in prisons, unable to flee the bombs. The Israeli defence minister's office said the prison attack was part of a larger assault on 'regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran'. Detainees and human rights activists have called for the temporary release of prisoners until fighting has stopped. A group of detainees, including Reza, sent a letter to the head of Iran's judiciary on Wednesday calling on him to temporarily release prisoners, citing an Iranian law that allows for conditional releases during war time. 'Prisons are not equipped with air raid warning systems, shelters or safe evacuation routes … especially ward eight of Evin prison, which is in an even more vulnerable state and does not even have a single fire extinguisher,' the letter read. Mehraveh and other family members of detainees were not optimistic that the Iranian government would approve the releases, noting a pattern of increasing repression during times of crisis. For Reza Younesi, whose 25-year-old brother Ali Younesi has been held in Evin prison since 2020, conditions have already gotten worse. On Wednesday, his family received news that Ali had been moved from Evin to an unknown location and that attempts by lawyers to locate him had proved fruitless. 'His cellmates called my mum from prison to let us know. We were hoping that maybe he's moved to another ward or even another prison, but there is no information,' said 43-year-old Younesi, speaking from Sweden. He added that he feared his brother was transferred to ward 209, where interrogations are conducted. According to a 2020 Amnesty report, security forces have been documented torturing detainees in ward 209, including through beatings and electric shocks. Ali, a student activist, was accused of possessing 'explosive devices' by Iranian authorities and of being associated with the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran, which Iran considers a terrorist group. He was initially sentenced to 16 years in prison, which was reduced to six years and eight months on a recent appeal. 'This is a pattern for the regime. What they do when they are in crisis to show that they can control society is to become more aggressive, they suppress regular people in society, especially prisoners,' Younesi said. Human rights groups shared Younesi's concern. The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran warned on Thursday that 54 political prisoners on death row were at grave risk. 'There is growing fear that Iranian authorities may use the cover of war to carry out these executions, using them as tools of reprisal and intimidation to further silence dissent and instil fear across the population,' the rights group said in a statement. Last Saturday, security forces arrested at least 16 people for 'spreading rumours' and residents in Iran told the Guardian they had noticed an uptick of arrests of people critical of the regime. Iran's interior ministry has also published a video of someone confessing to working on behalf of the Mossad (Israel's intelligence service) in Iran. Families of political prisoners say Israeli airstrikes on prisons are not the answer to state repression. They say bombing prisons could put political prisoners at risk. 'We don't believe he [Najafi] is safe at all – we know both the brutality of the Islamic Republic and the intensity of Israel's strikes. When he calls us, we can hear the sound of missile launches and anti-aircraft through the phone,' Hussein said. Inside Evin prison, detainees have reportedly started to stock up on goods, fearful that the fighting outside will lead to deterioration of conditions. Ali's cellmates were buying more food from the commissary, Reza said. Checking on loved ones inside prisons has become more difficult as Iran's government has also imposed a near-complete internet blackout on its population. Mehraveh, used to speaking to her father from abroad by calling her mother who would put him on speaker on a separate phone, has been unable to hear his voice since the bombing of the prison. For Reza, whose family has not heard from his brother in six days, the lack of communication was deeply worrying. Before, Ali would call his mother every day on the prison phone, comforting her with the mundane details of his daily routine. He had recently began learning French from other prisoners, and was teaching them astronomy – his passion – in return. 'I always tell him that he needs to do sports to make sure his body is not degrading,' Reza said. 'He always says, yeah don't worry, I'm doing it … Now we have no information from him, it's a very stressful time.'
Malay Mail
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Israel strikes Tehran's Evin prison in largest attack yet; Iran warns US but holds fire — for now
'Viva la liberdad!' Israeli minister posts with video of blast at prison Iran threatens retaliation against US, no action taken yet Oil prices barely budge on first day after US joins war TEL AVIV, June 23 — Israel targeted Evin prison in Tehran today, one of the most potent symbols of Iran's governing system, in what Israel called the most intense bombing yet of the Iranian capital, a day after the United States joined the war by blasting nuclear sites. Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States. But it had yet to so in a meaningful way more than 24 hours after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on its underground nuclear sites, while US President Donald Trump openly mused about overthrowing the Iranian government. Oil prices barely budged on the first trading day after the US joined the war, suggesting traders doubted Iran would follow through on threats to disrupt oil supplies from the Gulf. The Mizan news outlet of Iran's judiciary confirmed that the prison had been hit. It said part of the building was damaged but the situation was under control. A video posted by Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar on X showed an explosion at a building with a sign identifying it as an entrance to Evin prison in northern Tehran and the accompanying words: 'Viva la libertad!' — Spanish for 'Long live liberty.' Reuters could not immediately verify the video. Evin has been the primary prison for housing political detainees and security prisoners, notably since Iran's 1979 revolution, and the site of executions that remain potent symbols for the opposition. It is where several high-profile foreign prisoners are also held. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz made clear that Israel was no longer limiting its attacks to its initial stated targets such as Iran's nuclear programme and missiles, and would go after the Tehran government's ability to maintain power. 'The IDF is currently striking, with unprecedented force, regime targets and governmental repression bodies in the heart of Tehran,' he said in a statement. There were conflicting reports on Iranian media about the full extent of strikes on Tehran, a city of 10 million people where much of the population has fled after 10 days of bombing. Tasnim news agency reported a strike at an electricity feeder station in the Evin neighbourhood. Power company Tavanir reported some areas in the capital saw electricity cuts. Iran's student news network reported that Shahid Beheshti University, one of the main universities in Tehran, had also been hit. The university's public relations office denied it. Limited options Since Trump joined Israel's campaign by dropping massive bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday morning, Iran has repeatedly threatened to retaliate. But while it has continued to fire missiles at Israel, it has yet to take action against the United States itself, either by firing at US bases or by targeting the 20 per cent of global oil shipments that pass near its coast at the mouth of the Gulf. 'Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it,' Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, said today in English in a recorded video statement. Trump's administration has repeatedly said that its aim is solely to destroy Iran's nuclear programme, not to open a wider war. But in a social media post yesterday, Trump spoke of toppling the hardline clerical rulers who have been Washington's principal foes in the Middle East since Iran's 1979 revolution. 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!' he wrote. Experts surveying commercial satellite imagery said it appeared that the US attack had severely damaged the site of Iran's Fordow nuclear plant, built inside a mountain. Trump called the strike a 'Bullseye!!!' 'Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran,' he wrote. More Israeli strikes Israel's airstrikes on Iran have met little resistance from Iranian defences since Israel launched its surprise attack on June 13, killing many of Iran's top commanders. In an apparent effort to limit panic, Iran has released few images of the damage since the initial days of the bombing. The internet has largely been down for days, making it difficult for information to circulate within Iran and abroad. The Israeli military said a missile launched from Iran early today had been intercepted by Israeli defences. Air raid sirens blared overnight in Tel Aviv and other parts of central Israel. But Iran's ability to retaliate is far more limited than a few months ago, since Israel inflicted defeat on Iran's most feared regional proxy force, Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran's most powerful client ruler, Syria's Bashar al-Assad, fell soon after. Iran's most effective threat to hurt the West would be to restrict global oil flows from the Gulf, but oil prices have not shot up to crisis levels. After briefly jumping above US$80 (RM343) a barrel at the open, Brent crude futures were up just 0.5 per cent to US$77.38 in this morning's trading, having even at one point even been down on the morning. Prices are still above the level before Israel started its attacks this month. Traders said even that premium could fade. 'It's worth noting that the current geopolitical risk premium — now exceeding US$10 per barrel — cannot be sustained for long without a tangible supply disruption,' said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy for Saxo Bank. Iranian lawmakers have discussed shutting the Strait of Hormuz that leads into the Gulf, though no decision has been taken. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio played down the threat. 'It's economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that,' he said. — Reuters
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Negotiations are ‘meaningless' unless Israel stops attacks, Iran government spokesperson tells CNN
The prospect of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program is 'meaningless' unless Israel stops striking her country, Iran's government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told CNN Saturday at her office in northern Tehran. The streets were fairly quiet in the Iranian capital, usually a bustling metropolis of over 9 million people. Over the past few days, traffic has increased as more Iranians return to the city after fleeing Israel's bombing during earlier days of the conflict. Despite being the voice of a government exchanging blows with a nuclear power (and waiting on whether to expect fire from the United States), Mohajerani was relaxed. The first woman to serve as Iranian government spokesperson, she came into her role less than a year ago, appointed by President Masoud Pezeshkian last August. She noted that Iran has endured numerous cycles of negotiations about its nuclear activities, yet none have resulted in a sustained long-term deal. 'These past years we've been through a painful experience twice,' Mohajerani said, pointing to US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA agreement in 2018. No matter how eager Trump might be to bring Iran to the negotiating table, Mohajerani said Iran does not want to be left empty-handed again. And before talks begin, Israel's bombing must stop, she said, emphasizing a point made by multiple Iranian officials in recent days. 'This time we were in the middle of negotiations again when this attack took place,' Mohajerani said. 'Therefore, as our officials have already stated, as long as there are attacks, negotiations will be meaningless. When the attacks stop, we will think about it.' Israel's initial, wide-ranging operation on June 13 killed some of the most powerful commanders in the Iranian military and damaged Iranian uranium enrichment sites. Since then, daily strikes have damaged its nuclear power plants, set its largest natural gas field aflame and obliterated the newsroom of one of the country's state-run media channels. Still, Mohajerani insists that Iran is ready for whatever the Israelis throw at them next. 'Both the government and the nation of Iran are totally robust in defense,' she said. 'Our military force is completely ready to prevent such attacks from happening again, and in case the need arises to practice legitimate defense.' So far, at least 430 civilians in Iran have been killed in the strikes, and thousands of others wounded, according to the Iranian government. At a hospital in Tehran, one woman named Nisrine told CNN that she 'barely made it to the door' after being injured in an Israeli strike. One of her neighbors called emergency services, who brought her to a hospital. 'I've had five operations,' she said from her hospital bed. 'In my abdomen area, my kidney, my liver.' Iran's missile-and-UAV-driven response, meanwhile, has killed 24 in Israel, wounding over 1,200 others, according to figures from the Israeli government. Iranian missiles have struck deep within Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities, with one missile hitting a hospital. At the heart of the conflict is the future of Iran's nuclear program. Israel and the United States have long accused Iran of working towards a nuclear bomb. Speaking with CNN, Mohajerani repeated what Iranian officials have maintained for years: that Iran's nuclear enrichment program is not for weapons-making, but rather for energy production. 'Nuclear energy does not mean war to us,' Mohajerani said. 'It means life to us. Therefore, since the subject of enrichment and the subject of life are the same path to us, not leading to war, we believe enrichment is our right.' Nonetheless, Israeli officials have cast their bombing campaign in existential terms, going so far as to say that Iran's nuclear program poses a threat to the entire planet. 'We act to prevent a huge threat—primarily to the existence of Israel, but also to the entire region, Europe, and the world order,' declared Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Rishon Lezion. It remains unclear whether Washington will join the fray. Trump has said he will decide whether to intervene within the next two weeks, but has already joined Israeli officials in publicly pondering the benefits of assassinating Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on June 17. 'He is an easy target but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.' Mohajerani was blunt when asked about the possibility that Israel or the US might take direct aim at her country's head of state. 'This shows that Israel does not understand the unity of the Iranian people,' Mohajerani said. 'Israel better not do something for which it can't pay the damage. The Iranian people are backing their leader.' 'We should not forget that for all of us Iranians today, Iran is a united concept, which we will certainly defend.'
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Negotiations are ‘meaningless' unless Israel stops attacks, Iran government spokesperson tells CNN
The prospect of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program is 'meaningless' unless Israel stops striking her country, Iran's government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told CNN Saturday at her office in northern Tehran. The streets were fairly quiet in the Iranian capital, usually a bustling metropolis of over 9 million people. Over the past few days, traffic has increased as more Iranians return to the city after fleeing Israel's bombing during earlier days of the conflict. Despite being the voice of a government exchanging blows with a nuclear power (and waiting on whether to expect fire from the United States), Mohajerani was relaxed. The first woman to serve as Iranian government spokesperson, she came into her role less than a year ago, appointed by President Masoud Pezeshkian last August. She noted that Iran has endured numerous cycles of negotiations about its nuclear activities, yet none have resulted in a sustained long-term deal. 'These past years we've been through a painful experience twice,' Mohajerani said, pointing to US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA agreement in 2018. No matter how eager Trump might be to bring Iran to the negotiating table, Mohajerani said Iran does not want to be left empty-handed again. And before talks begin, Israel's bombing must stop, she said, emphasizing a point made by multiple Iranian officials in recent days. 'This time we were in the middle of negotiations again when this attack took place,' Mohajerani said. 'Therefore, as our officials have already stated, as long as there are attacks, negotiations will be meaningless. When the attacks stop, we will think about it.' Israel's initial, wide-ranging operation on June 13 killed some of the most powerful commanders in the Iranian military and damaged Iranian uranium enrichment sites. Since then, daily strikes have damaged its nuclear power plants, set its largest natural gas field aflame and obliterated the newsroom of one of the country's state-run media channels. Still, Mohajerani insists that Iran is ready for whatever the Israelis throw at them next. 'Both the government and the nation of Iran are totally robust in defense,' she said. 'Our military force is completely ready to prevent such attacks from happening again, and in case the need arises to practice legitimate defense.' So far, at least 430 civilians in Iran have been killed in the strikes, and thousands of others wounded, according to the Iranian government. At a hospital in Tehran, one woman named Nisrine told CNN that she 'barely made it to the door' after being injured in an Israeli strike. One of her neighbors called emergency services, who brought her to a hospital. 'I've had five operations,' she said from her hospital bed. 'In my abdomen area, my kidney, my liver.' Iran's missile-and-UAV-driven response, meanwhile, has killed 24 in Israel, wounding over 1,200 others, according to figures from the Israeli government. Iranian missiles have struck deep within Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities, with one missile hitting a hospital. At the heart of the conflict is the future of Iran's nuclear program. Israel and the United States have long accused Iran of working towards a nuclear bomb. Speaking with CNN, Mohajerani repeated what Iranian officials have maintained for years: that Iran's nuclear enrichment program is not for weapons-making, but rather for energy production. 'Nuclear energy does not mean war to us,' Mohajerani said. 'It means life to us. Therefore, since the subject of enrichment and the subject of life are the same path to us, not leading to war, we believe enrichment is our right.' Nonetheless, Israeli officials have cast their bombing campaign in existential terms, going so far as to say that Iran's nuclear program poses a threat to the entire planet. 'We act to prevent a huge threat—primarily to the existence of Israel, but also to the entire region, Europe, and the world order,' declared Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Rishon Lezion. It remains unclear whether Washington will join the fray. Trump has said he will decide whether to intervene within the next two weeks, but has already joined Israeli officials in publicly pondering the benefits of assassinating Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on June 17. 'He is an easy target but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.' Mohajerani was blunt when asked about the possibility that Israel or the US might take direct aim at her country's head of state. 'This shows that Israel does not understand the unity of the Iranian people,' Mohajerani said. 'Israel better not do something for which it can't pay the damage. The Iranian people are backing their leader.' 'We should not forget that for all of us Iranians today, Iran is a united concept, which we will certainly defend.'
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Negotiations are ‘meaningless' unless Israel stops attacks, Iran government spokesperson tells CNN
The prospect of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program is 'meaningless' unless Israel stops striking her country, Iran's government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told CNN Saturday at her office in northern Tehran. The streets were fairly quiet in the Iranian capital, usually a bustling metropolis of over 9 million people. Over the past few days, traffic has increased as more Iranians return to the city after fleeing Israel's bombing during earlier days of the conflict. Despite being the voice of a government exchanging blows with a nuclear power (and waiting on whether to expect fire from the United States), Mohajerani was relaxed. The first woman to serve as Iranian government spokesperson, she came into her role less than a year ago, appointed by President Masoud Pezeshkian last August. She noted that Iran has endured numerous cycles of negotiations about its nuclear activities, yet none have resulted in a sustained long-term deal. 'These past years we've been through a painful experience twice,' Mohajerani said, pointing to US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA agreement in 2018. No matter how eager Trump might be to bring Iran to the negotiating table, Mohajerani said Iran does not want to be left empty-handed again. And before talks begin, Israel's bombing must stop, she said, emphasizing a point made by multiple Iranian officials in recent days. 'This time we were in the middle of negotiations again when this attack took place,' Mohajerani said. 'Therefore, as our officials have already stated, as long as there are attacks, negotiations will be meaningless. When the attacks stop, we will think about it.' Israel's initial, wide-ranging operation on June 13 killed some of the most powerful commanders in the Iranian military and damaged Iranian uranium enrichment sites. Since then, daily strikes have damaged its nuclear power plants, set its largest natural gas field aflame and obliterated the newsroom of one of the country's state-run media channels. Still, Mohajerani insists that Iran is ready for whatever the Israelis throw at them next. 'Both the government and the nation of Iran are totally robust in defense,' she said. 'Our military force is completely ready to prevent such attacks from happening again, and in case the need arises to practice legitimate defense.' So far, at least 430 civilians in Iran have been killed in the strikes, and thousands of others wounded, according to the Iranian government. At a hospital in Tehran, one woman named Nisrine told CNN that she 'barely made it to the door' after being injured in an Israeli strike. One of her neighbors called emergency services, who brought her to a hospital. 'I've had five operations,' she said from her hospital bed. 'In my abdomen area, my kidney, my liver.' Iran's missile-and-UAV-driven response, meanwhile, has killed 24 in Israel, wounding over 1,200 others, according to figures from the Israeli government. Iranian missiles have struck deep within Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities, with one missile hitting a hospital. At the heart of the conflict is the future of Iran's nuclear program. Israel and the United States have long accused Iran of working towards a nuclear bomb. Speaking with CNN, Mohajerani repeated what Iranian officials have maintained for years: that Iran's nuclear enrichment program is not for weapons-making, but rather for energy production. 'Nuclear energy does not mean war to us,' Mohajerani said. 'It means life to us. Therefore, since the subject of enrichment and the subject of life are the same path to us, not leading to war, we believe enrichment is our right.' Nonetheless, Israeli officials have cast their bombing campaign in existential terms, going so far as to say that Iran's nuclear program poses a threat to the entire planet. 'We act to prevent a huge threat—primarily to the existence of Israel, but also to the entire region, Europe, and the world order,' declared Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Rishon Lezion. It remains unclear whether Washington will join the fray. Trump has said he will decide whether to intervene within the next two weeks, but has already joined Israeli officials in publicly pondering the benefits of assassinating Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on June 17. 'He is an easy target but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.' Mohajerani was blunt when asked about the possibility that Israel or the US might take direct aim at her country's head of state. 'This shows that Israel does not understand the unity of the Iranian people,' Mohajerani said. 'Israel better not do something for which it can't pay the damage. The Iranian people are backing their leader.' 'We should not forget that for all of us Iranians today, Iran is a united concept, which we will certainly defend.'
