Latest news with #MahmoudFarshchian
Rudaw Net
2 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iran says detained over 21,000 suspects during war with Israel
Also in Iran Iran urges public to conserve water, power amid shortages IAEA official to visit Iran for talks on new 'cooperation framework' Four killed in southeast Iran clashes Iranian artist Mahmoud Farshchian dies at 96 A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian security forces detained more than 21,000 people during the 12-day war with Israel, state media reported on Tuesday, marking the first time the country has revealed the total number of detentions. 'The arrest of 21,000 suspects during the 12-day war shows the high awareness and participation of people in ensuring security,' state TV cited Saeed Montazeralmahdi, a police spokesperson, as saying. During the 12-day war between the arch-rivals, Iranian authorities and state-affiliated media reported the arrests of dozens of civilians accused of spying for Israel or cooperating with it 'During this time, cyberspace became an important front in the battle, and FATA police [Iranian cyber police] played an effective role by handling more than 5,700 cyber crime cases, including online fraud and unauthorized withdrawals,' Montazeralmahdi added. Tensions skyrocketed between Iran and Israel on July 13 after Israel launched airstrikes killing top brass Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, causing Iran to retaliate with drone and missile attacks. The two traded salvos for 12 days. Later, the US also got involved with missiles launched by air and sea, targeting Iran's three main nuclear facilities. The police spokesperson revealed the arrests of 261 people for allegedly committing espionage and 172 others accused of unauthorized photography, without elaborating on the charges they would face. Over 1,000 checkpoints were placed throughout the country during the 12 days of conflict. This is the first time Iran has spoken out on the total number of arrests during the war. Authorities have occasionally reported on suspects charged with espionage. Since the end of July, Iran has executed seven men accused of spying, with activists worried the government will conduct a wave of executions, AP reported on Tuesday. The country ranks second globally for known executions, according to Amnesty International. Iran has released several confessions of people accused of cooperating with or spying for Israel. Such confessions are widely believed to be coerced, often obtained through threats, psychological pressure, and, in some cases, physical torture.
Rudaw Net
2 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iran urges public to conserve water, power amid shortages
Also in Iran Iran says detained over 21,000 suspects during war with Israel IAEA official to visit Iran for talks on new 'cooperation framework' Four killed in southeast Iran clashes Iranian artist Mahmoud Farshchian dies at 96 A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iranian government on Tuesday urged citizens to help address severe water and electricity shortages by saving and managing consumption, stressing that public cooperation is essential. 'The government, along with experts, academics, and specialists, is in talks to resolve the imbalances and provide solutions to the issues. We must solve the issue of energy imbalance in water and electricity … with the help of the people themselves, through saving and managing consumption,' government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said in a weekly presser. She emphasized that resolving the shortages requires time and 'definitely needs the support of the people, otherwise there is no other way,' calling for a decrease in consumption. Iran has been facing water and electricity shortages in recent years, which have intensified in the past few months. Residents of Tehran and the western Kurdish regions (Rojhelat) say that power cuts last for hours, making the summer heat intolerable. The government has announced official holidays for government institutions, branches, and banks in an attempt to save energy and manage consumption, leading to numerous issues due to the delay of administrative tasks. Earlier in August, President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of a 'severe imbalance in the water and electricity sectors,' urging the energy ministry to expedite its efforts to minimize the damage. State media in August said that 56 percent of the country's dam reservoirs were empty, while Iran's Water Resources Management Company has reported that dam inflows have fallen 42 percent. As a result of years of mismanagement, Lake Urmia in West Azerbaijan province – the world's second largest hypersaline lake – is now experiencing an unprecedented decline in water levels and could potentially dry up this year, the semi-official Tasnim news agency warned on Tuesday.
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
IAEA official to visit Iran for talks on new ‘cooperation framework'
Also in Iran Four killed in southeast Iran clashes Iranian artist Mahmoud Farshchian dies at 96 Unemployment soars in Iran's Ilam despite rich natural resources Iran returns prisoners to Evin after Israeli strike A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A senior official from the United Nations nuclear watchdog is set to visit Iran on Monday to discuss a new framework for cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Tehran, Iran's foreign minister confirmed on Sunday. The visit comes after weeks of tensions that saw Iran's parliament pass a law suspending cooperation with the agency. Tehran's state-run news agency (IRNA) quoted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as stating that a deputy to IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi 'will visit Tehran tomorrow [Monday].' Talks will focus on developing a 'new framework for cooperation,' Araghchi stated, while reiterating that there would be 'no open inspection program.' 'We have not yet reached an agreement on the new framework, and cooperation will not begin until such an agreement is reached,' the senior Iranian diplomat stressed, adding that any framework would be strictly based on the law passed by parliament in late June. The law mandates the suspension of 'all forms of cooperation with the IAEA that go beyond the country's core obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)." This includes halting implementation of the Additional Protocol, which had previously permitted intrusive, short-notice inspections by the agency. The legislation further conditions any future cooperation on guarantees for the 'security and safety of Iran's nuclear facilities and personnel,' as well as 'formal international recognition of Iran's right to a peaceful nuclear program.' It also explicitly prohibits IAEA inspectors from visiting nuclear sites, with non-compliance deemed a criminal offense for Iranian officials. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in late June defended the legislation, accusing the IAEA of having become 'a political instrument,' blaming it for the flare up of the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, which also drew in the United States. On June 13, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Iranian territory, targeting nuclear facilities and killing several high-ranking military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes against Israeli targets. Tensions escalated further when the United States conducted airstrikes on June 22 against Iran's Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz nuclear sites. In response, Iran fired ballistic missiles at the US-operated al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. A ceasefire, brokered by Washington on June 24, has since held. Notably, the Israeli strikes came just one day after the IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution on June 12 declaring Iran in violation of its nuclear non-proliferation commitments. Tehran rejected the resolution as 'politically motivated,' accusing Israel of supplying 'forged' intelligence to the agency. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) also condemned the resolution, claiming Grossi had abandoned the agency's principle of impartiality. Despite the intensifying rhetoric, Grossi in early July expressed cautious optimism about mending fences with Tehran, saying he was 'encouraged' by Iran's willingness to host an IAEA delegation. Stalled nuclear talks On broader nuclear negotiations, Araghchi confirmed Sunday that no new round of talks with the US has been scheduled. 'A new round of negotiations has not yet been scheduled, and nothing has been finalized,' he said. 'Indirect negotiations have also not been confirmed so far, and I am not confirming any country in this regard.' Mediated by Oman, indirect US-Iran nuclear talks resumed on April 12, with five rounds held - the latest on May 23. These discussions marked the most serious engagement since the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under which Iran curbed its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The sixth round of talks, planned for June 15 in Muscat, was canceled following the outbreak of the Israel-Iran conflict two days earlier. Since the June 24 ceasefire, negotiations have stalled. Araghchi previously demanded 'financial compensation' from the US for its strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a request dismissed by Washington as 'ridiculous.' Meanwhile, the US has continued imposing new sanctions, including fresh measures last Thursday targeting Iran's oil and shipping sectors. E3 pressures mount as 'snapback' looms Commenting on ongoing talks between Iran and the E3 - France, Germany, and the UK - Araghchi on Sunday stated that discussions remain 'ongoing,' but dismissed their ability to trigger the JCPOA's snapback mechanism. 'From our perspective, 'snapback' is not a relevant issue, and Europe cannot take such an action. Given the positions they have taken, in our view, the Europeans are essentially no longer considered participants in the JCPOA,' he stated. At the core of the dispute between Iran and the E3 is a high-stakes standoff driven by Iran's accelerating nuclear program and the E3's use of the looming snapback mechanism - a powerful diplomatic tool embedded in the JCPOA, which allows for the automatic re-imposition of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran if it violates its nuclear commitments. Any of the remaining signatories of the 2015 deal - the E3 (France, Germany, and the UK), China, and Russia - can trigger this mechanism set to expire on October 18, 2025. The E3 recently voiced alarm over Iran's enrichment of uranium in what drastically shortens Iran's breakout time to a nuclear weapon.. The European countries have further set an ultimatum, warning they will trigger a "snapback" mechanism by the end of August 2025 if Iran doesn't show a "firm, tangible, and verifiable commitment" to a nuclear deal. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has stated that the E3 "will not hesitate for a single second to reapply all the sanctions" if European security is threatened by Iran's nuclear activities. Whether diplomacy can be salvaged or a new phase of sanctions and confrontation awaits remains to be seen.
Rudaw Net
5 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Four killed in southeast Iran clashes
Also in Iran Iranian artist Mahmoud Farshchian dies at 96 Unemployment soars in Iran's Ilam despite rich natural resources Iran returns prisoners to Evin after Israeli strike IAEA delegation to visit Iran amid strained ties A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least four people, including a police officer, were killed on Sunday in a clash between security forces and 'armed individuals' in Iran's restive southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, state media reported. The clashes, in Sistan and Baluchestan's Saravan border region, took place between security forces and 'armed individuals,' Iran's state IRNA news agency said, citing a police statement. 'One police officer was martyred in the clash, and another was injured and sent to a medical center,' it said, adding that 'police officers killed three of the armed attackers and are pursuing the remaining attackers.' The main Baluchi armed group, Jaish al-Adl, is active in the area, but has not claimed responsibility for the attack. Attacks on Iranian security forces in Sistan and Baluchestan province are frequent. Armed Baluchi groups, primarily Jaish al-Adl, operate in the province that borders Afghanistan and Pakistan. They have waged an insurgency against Tehran and carried out numerous attacks against its forces, especially the IRGC. In July, at least six people were killed and a dozen others were injured when a courthouse in Sistan and Baluchsestan was attacked. The semi-official Tasnim news agency blamed the attack on Jaish al-Adl. Jaish al-Adl was added to the United States list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations in 2019 by the first administration of President Donald Trump. The designation was in response to a deadly attack by the group that killed 27 IRGC members near Sistan and Baluchestan's provincial capital of Zahedan. Baluchis are a mainly Sunni ethnic minority in Iran, living predominantly in the Baluchestan region near the border with Pakistan. The population was active during nationwide protests in September 2022, and hundreds of Baluchis were killed by the IRGC in a heavy crackdown.
Rudaw Net
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Rudaw Net
Iranian artist Mahmoud Farshchian dies at 96
Also in Iran Unemployment soars in Iran's Ilam despite rich natural resources Iran returns prisoners to Evin after Israeli strike IAEA delegation to visit Iran amid strained ties UN urges Iran to disclose burial site of Kurdish political prisoner A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Mahmoud Farshchian, renowned Iranian artist celebrated for a unique style that blended traditional Persian miniature with modern surrealism, died on Saturday. 'It is with great sadness and deep sorrow that I offer my condolences on the passing of Master Mahmoud Farshchian, a great Iranian and world painter,' said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, state-owned IRNA news agency reported. Farshchian's most famous works include 'The Evening of Ashura,' a poignant portrayal of Imam Hussein's family in mourning, 'The Guarantor of the Gazelle,' inspired by a Shiite narrative of Imam Reza protecting a deer, and 'Ghadir Khumm,' a symbolic depiction of the Prophet Muhammad's appointment of Imam Ali as his successor. His work is known for its vibrant colors, dynamic compositions and a unique blend of traditional Persian miniature with modern elements, featuring themes of love, spirituality and the human condition through his signature style of 'surnaturalism.' Farshchian gifted the "Evening of Ashura' to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said on his passing: "I have cried every time I have looked at Mr. Farshchian's painting, which he himself gave me a few years ago,' Fars news agency reported. Farshchian was born in Isfahan in 1930 into a family with a deep appreciation for the arts. His father was a Persian carpet merchant. He studied in Europe after graduating from Isfahan's High School for the Fine Arts and later held academic and cultural roles in Iran. He showcased his work in more than 150 global exhibitions and has had pieces on display in institutions such as the British Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Harvard University, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, expressing condolences on his death, said, 'Master Farshchian's works were not only a manifestation of visual beauty, but also an expression of wisdom, mysticism, and the Iranian-Islamic spirit. Future generations of Iranian art will be inspired by his precious legacy." Farshchian was reportedly in a coma in a hospital in the United States before his death.
