Latest news with #Shargh
Daily Tribune
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Iran silent as dissident director wins top prize
Iranian authorities offered no reaction yesterday after dissident filmmaker Jafar Panahi won the Cannes Film Festival's top prize for his political drama. Panahi, 64, was awarded the Palme d'Or on Saturday night for 'It Was Just an Accident' -- a film in which five Iranians confront a man they believe tortured them in prison. A story inspired by his own time in detention, it had led critics' polls throughout the week at Cannes. The win has so far been met with silence from Iran's government and ignored by the state broadcaster, which instead focused on a state-aligned 'Resistance' film festival. The conservative Fars news agency suggested the jury's choice was politically motivated, saying it was 'not uninfluenced by the political issues surrounding Jafar Panahi inside Iran'. Reformist newspapers Etemad, Shargh and Ham Mihan reported the win on their websites but did not feature it on their front pages, possibly due to the timing of the announcement. Panahi, who has been banned from filmmaking since 2010 and jailed multiple times, addressed the Cannes audience with a call for national unity. He confirmed plans to return to Iran immediately. Asked on Saturday night if he feared arrest, he said: 'Not at all. Tomorrow we are leaving.' This marks only the second time an Iranian director has won the Palme d'Or, after the late Abbas Kiarostami received the honour for 'Taste of Cherry' in 1997. Both directors faced bans throughout their careers.
Middle East Eye
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Iranian press review: Tehran uses phone tracking for hijab crackdown
Mandatory Islamic hijab returns to spotlight The Iranian establishment has increased pressure on women by sending warning text messages to women in Tehran, Shiraz, Rasht and Isfahan, urging them to follow the mandatory Islamic hijab rules. The move has sparked concerns about the violation of personal privacy. The Shargh daily criticised the practice, highlighting: 'These actions, especially in the absence of a clear and enforceable law on hijab, could lead to serious legal and social issues. Sending such warning messages could violate citizens' rights and privacy.' In the past, similar messages were sent only to women not wearing the hijab in their cars, using their licence plate numbers for identification. But now, authorities reportedly use street cameras and mobile phone tracking to identify women in public places. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters According to local media, officials in the administration of President Masoud Pezeshkian have denied any involvement. However, the messages warn women that they could face legal consequences if they continue to disobey the hijab law. Iranian lawyer and academic Mohsen Borhani suggested the goal of these messages is political. He said principlist groups, unhappy with their losses in the presidential election, were using these warnings to challenge the Pezeshkian government, which had opposed enforcing a stricter hijab law passed by parliament. 'Extremist factions, whom most voters rejected, are using these actions to suggest that the government has failed to keep its promises,' Borhani said. In 2022, widespread protests against the mandatory hijab erupted after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody over alleged hijab violations. The demonstrations quickly grew into nationwide anti-establishment protests, demanding broader political and social change. Kurdish political prisoner on hunger strike Ageing Kurdish political prisoner Motaleb Ahmadian, who is suffering from cancer, has gone on a hunger strike to protest being denied access to proper medical care and the Tehran prosecutor's refusal to suspend his prison sentence for treatment. A dangerous mind: The legacy of Bijan Jazani and Iran's 1975 Evin executions Read More » On Monday, the HRANA news agency reported that Ahmadian, now in his 15th year of imprisonment, is one of the inmates not receiving medical treatment despite serious health issues. In a letter from prison, Ahmadian wrote that throughout his struggle against injustice, he faced two choices: to stay silent or to resist. 'I chose to stand up,' he wrote. 'And the price was a 30-year prison sentence.' He explained that his hunger strike was not only a personal protest but also a stand for other prisoners who are denied fundamental rights. 'I have decided to go on a hunger strike to protest the clear violation of my rights - and the rights of all prisoners - especially the right to timely and proper medical treatment,' he wrote. Ahmadian was arrested in October 2010. After spending 230 days in solitary confinement, he was convicted of moharebeh, meaning enmity against God in sharia law, for alleged membership in the Iranian-Kurdish socialist Komaleh Party. Public demands accountability after deadly port explosion More than a week after the explosion at Shahid Rajaee Port, which killed 57 people, pressure has mounted to uncover the cause of the deadly incident. Some media outlets called for the resignation of officials whose negligence may have contributed to the disaster. 'The grieving people of Iran, especially those in Bandar Abbas, are demanding justice. That means real accountability for those responsible' - Eqtesad Saramad While the exact cause has not been officially confirmed, government officials have recently admitted that improper storage of hazardous imported materials and errors in registering the type of goods were major factors. In response, the economic daily Eqtesad Saramad criticised what it described as a deliberate effort to hide the truth. 'If a mistake has been identified, why has it not been addressed seriously?' the daily wrote. 'The fault is still being concealed.' 'The grieving people of Iran, especially those in Bandar Abbas, and the country's maritime community, are demanding justice. That means real accountability for those responsible for the Shahid Rajaee port disaster.' The newspaper also criticised senior officials in the ports and shipping sector for offering condolences instead of taking responsibility. 'Rather than resigning or apologising, they are simply releasing performance reports and sympathy messages,' it said, warning that growing corruption and lack of transparency could derail any serious investigation. 'We hope our suspicion is wrong,' the editorial concluded. Conservatives criticise new US sanctions Iranian conservatives, long opposed to negotiations over the country's nuclear programme, have denounced what they call the United States' double standards, following the imposition of new sanctions during the latest round of talks between Tehran and Washington. The conservative daily Kayhan, whose editor is appointed by Iran's supreme leader, described the new sanctions as a sign of bad faith by the US and condemned President Donald Trump's approach to diplomacy. 'Only 100 days have passed since Trump's return, and already the number of sanctions by the US government against Iranian individuals and institutions has reached a significant total of 182,' the daily wrote. The editorial argued that these sanctions go beyond economics, calling them an attack on Iran's dignity, independence and national welfare. It suggested the negotiations are simply part of the broader US 'maximum pressure' campaign against Iran. * Iranian press review is a digest of news reports not independently verified as accurate by Middle East Eye.
Daily Tribune
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
UN nuclear chief in Tehran ahead of fresh Iran-US talks
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi met the head of Iran's atomic energy agency, Mohammad Eslami, on Thursday ahead of a fresh round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. Iranian and US delegations are to gather in Rome on Saturday for a second round of Omani-mediated negotiations, a week after the longtime foes held their highest-level talks since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord in 2018. There were no immediate details on Grossi's meeting with Eslami, but Iran's reformist Shargh newspaper described his visit as "strategically significant at the current juncture". On Wednesday, Grossi met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led the first round of talks with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday. Araghchi said he had had a "useful" meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency chief. "The IAEA can play a crucial role in peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear file in the coming months," he said. Araghchi called on the IAEA chief to "keep the agency away from politics" in the face of "spoilers" seeking to "derail current negotiations". He did not elaborate. Grossi said their meeting was "important". "Cooperation with IAEA is indispensable to provide credible assurances about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme at a time when diplomacy is urgently needed," he said on X. - 'Not far' from possessing bomb - Before heading to Iran, Grossi told French newspaper Le Monde that Tehran was "not far" from possessing a nuclear bomb. Western governments have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied. A year after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran began rolling back its own commitments under the agreement, which gave it relief from sanctions in return for IAEA-monitored restrictions on its nuclear activities. In its latest report, the IAEA said Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilogrammes (605 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UN nuclear chief in Tehran ahead of fresh Iran-US talks
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi met the head of Iran's atomic energy agency, Mohammad Eslami, on Thursday ahead of a fresh round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. Iranian and US delegations are to gather in Rome on Saturday for a second round of Omani-mediated negotiations, a week after the longtime foes held their highest-level talks since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord in 2018. There were no immediate details on Grossi's meeting with Eslami, but Iran's reformist Shargh newspaper described his visit as "strategically significant at the current juncture". On Wednesday, Grossi met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who led the first round of talks with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday. Araghchi said he had a "useful" meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency chief. "The IAEA can play a crucial role in peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear file in the coming months," he said. Araghchi called on the IAEA chief to "keep the agency away from politics" in the face of "spoilers" seeking to "derail current negotiations". He did not elaborate. Grossi said their meeting was "important". "Cooperation with IAEA is indispensable to provide credible assurances about the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme at a time when diplomacy is urgently needed," he said on X. - 'Not far' from possessing bomb - Before heading to Iran, Grossi told French newspaper Le Monde that Tehran was "not far" from possessing a nuclear bomb. Western governments have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire a nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied. A year after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran began rolling back its own commitments under the agreement, which gave it relief from sanctions in return for IAEA-monitored restrictions on its nuclear activities. In its latest report, the IAEA said Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilogrammes (605 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent. That level far exceeds the 3.67 percent enrichment ceiling set by the 2015 deal, but still falls short of the 90 percent threshold required for a nuclear warhead. Since he returned to office in January, Trump has revived his "maximum pressure" policy of punishing economic sanctions against Iran. In March, he sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused. On Thursday, the New York Times reported that Trump had blocked an Israeli plan to strike Iranian nuclear facilities in favour of seeking a negotiated deal. - 'Conflicting positions' - On Tuesday, Khamenei cautioned that while the talks with the United States had started well, they could yet prove fruitless. "The negotiations may or may not yield results," he said. On Wednesday, Araghchi said Iran's enrichment of uranium was not up for discussion after Witkoff called for a halt. Witkoff had previously demanded only that Iran return to the 3.67 percent enrichment ceiling set by the 2015 deal. Araghchi said he hoped to start negotiations on the framework of a possible agreement, but that this required "constructive positions" from the United States. "If we continue to (hear) contradictory and conflicting positions, we are going to have problems," he warned. On Thursday, Iran's top diplomat was in Moscow on a "pre-planned" visit to the Tehran ally. "Our regular exchanges with Russia and China have allowed us to align our positions," Araghchi said on his arrival in the Russian capital. The Kremlin said that Russia stood ready to do "everything" in its power to help resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear programme. Meanwhile, the official Saudi Press Agency reported that Defence Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman had travelled to Tehran for talks on Thursday. During his first term, Trump attempted to forge an alliance between Israel and the Gulf Arab states against Iran. But in 2023 Tehran and Riyadh restored ties in a Chinese-brokered rapprochement, while the outbreak of the Gaza war later the same year soured relations between all Arab states and Israel. rkh-mz/kir
Asharq Al-Awsat
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Iran Says Talks with US to Focus Solely on Nuclear Issue, Lifting Sanctions
Iran's foreign ministry said Sunday that talks with the United States slated for next weekend will remain "indirect" with Omani mediation, and focused solely on the nuclear issue and lifting of sanctions. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held talks Saturday in Muscat, marking the highest-level Iran-US nuclear negotiations since the collapse of a 2015 accord. They agreed to meet again in seven days. "Negotiations will continue to be indirect. Oman will remain the mediator, but we are discussing the location of future negotiations," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in an interview with state TV. He said the talks would only focus on "the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions," and that Iran "will not have any talks with the American side on any other issue." Analysts had said the US would push to include on the agenda discussions over Iran's ballistic missile program along with Tehran's support for the "axis of resistance" -- a network of militant groups opposed to Israel, AFP reported. Tehran has, however, maintained it will talk only about its nuclear program. Donald Trump in 2018 pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers during his first term as US president. He reimposed sweeping economic sanctions against Iran, which continued to adhere to the agreement for a year after Washington's pullout but later began rolling back its own commitments. Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. On Sunday, Iranian media largely welcomed the rare talks as a "decisive turning point" in relations between the longtime foes. Iran's conservative Javan daily praised the US for "not seeking to expand the negotiations to non-nuclear issues". The government-sponsored newspaper, Iran, described the discussions as "constructive and respectful," quoting Araghchi. Meanwhile, the reformist Shargh newspaper said it was a "decisive turning point" in Iran-US relations. The hardline Kayhan newspaper, which was largely sceptical in the days leading up to the talks, lamented that Iran does not have a "plan B" while there was "no clear prospect for an agreement with Donald Trump." It, however, lauded the fact that the American side did not bring up "the dismantling of nuclear facilities" and "the possibility of a military attack" during the discussions.
