Latest news with #Tehran
The Sun
5 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
Son of Brit couple Craig & Lindsay Foreman detained in Iran for 150 days on spying charges reveals shock at arrests
THE young son of a British couple imprisoned in Iran on spying charges has revealed how devastated he was after hearing of his parents' arrest. Husband and wife Craig and Lindsay Foreman have spent almost 150 days in jail since being detained during a round-the-world motorbike trip. 8 8 8 The Brits entered Iran despite being warned by the Foreign Office and their family to avoid passing through the notoriously strict state. The couple, both in their 50s, were held back in January on unspecified espionage charges. The Iranian government continues to claim they were 'posing as tourists' to gather intelligence against the Middle East nation. Ever since their incarceration, the pair have hardly spoken to their loved ones and mainly had contact with the Foreign Office. Now the teenage son of Craig, a carpenter, and wife Dr Lindsay, a life coach, has revealed how hard the past few months have been on the family. Anxious Toby said Foreign Office officials visited his mum on Tuesday and handed her a letter from her closest loved ones back home. He told the Mirror: 'There was a visit yesterday day. Someone from the Foreign Office, checking if she's okay. "We have been able to pass on a message to the Foreign Office, everyone wrote a letter to give them to them, but we don't know what they received. 'We just don't want to make things worse. We're waiting to see if anything big happens over the next few months.' The 19-year-old university student described hearing about his parent's arrest as a "real shock". My dad has been sentenced to death in Iran on trumped-up charges and faces imminent execution - we must save him He said: 'Everyone in the family is dealing with it in different ways. I had never heard about English people being detained out there. 'I thought there was more of a security concern with them taking relatively expensive bikes out there. 'We were not expecting for them to get detained." Toby is holding on to hope that due to his mum's long career in psychiatry she will be able to cope with her prison stretch as best as possible and help Craig too. At the time of Craig and Linday's arrest a spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary said: "These individuals were cooperating with covert institutions linked to the intelligence services of hostile Western countries under the guise of investigative and research activities. "According to the observations of intelligence and security institutions, the connection of these individuals with several institutions affiliated with intelligence services has been confirmed, and additional investigations are ongoing in this regard." The judiciary spokesperson also said the pair "were monitored with the cooperation of security agencies and arrested". The pair first travelled into Iran from Armenia on December 30, and reportedly planned to leave by January 4, as they headed for Australia. 8 8 8 While in Iran they visited Tabriz, the capital Tehran, and Isfahan before staying in Kerman. It was here where they were picked up by police and arrested. At the time, the Foreign Office said the couples arrest had "caused significant concern". The couple, who had previously been featured on Channel 4 's A New Life in the Sun, had ignored pleas from friends, family and the Foreign Office (FCDO) not to enter Iran. FCDO guidance explicitly warns against all travel to the country, cautioning that British citizens could be arrested simply for their nationality. Brits 'face torture and years in hellhole jail' on 'fabricated' espionage charges CRAIG and Lindsay Foreman could be left to languish in a hellhole jail for years, sources fear. Insiders believe Iran's merciless leaders have made a "fabricated case" to use Craig and Lindsay as pawns in their sick game to get Western countries to give in to their demands. United Against Nuclear Iran's (UANI) policy director Jason Brodsky told The Sun while they are unlikely to face execution, they could be jailed for years and face torture. He said: "Iran uses hostage diplomacy as a means to extract concessions from Europe and the United States. "Hostages have languished for years behind bars in Iran. "The Iranian regime has executed dual-nationals previously, or those with Iranian citizenship in addition to American or European nationality. "Since the Foremans do not have dual-nationality, an execution is unlikely but the danger of harm remains. "The Iranian regime employs both psychological and physical torture methods depending on the situation." Insiders and campaigners say it is likely the couple were arrested simply for being British. It is feared they have been taken "hostage" to put pressure on the UK. Hossein Abedini of the National Council of Resistance told The Sun: "All of these actions are aimed at gaining leverage from the country to which the hostages belong therefore, any verdicts could arise. "This is a repetitive process that has occurred many times, but due to the concessions made by the West, the regime assesses this as a profitable business." Despite this, the pair acknowledged the extreme risk in a social media post on December 30. It read: 'Despite the advice of friends, family, and the FCDO (which strongly advises against travel to Iran for British nationals), we've chosen to keep moving forward. 'Why? Because we believe that, no matter where you are in the world, most people are good, kind humans striving for a meaningful life. Yes, we're aware of the risks. 'We also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear.' The UK government has been urged to act quickly to try and free the pair. Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was imprisoned in Iran for six years, urged officials to move faster than they did in her case. He said: 'My heart goes out to them, and I hope they are not in for a long ordeal, and that the government is able to respond more promptly than it did in our case." 8 8
Reuters
9 hours ago
- General
- Reuters
Trump's threat to destroy Iran nuclear sites a clear red line
DUBAI, May 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities is a clear red line and will have severe consequences, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Friday. "If U.S. seeks a diplomatic solution, it must abandon the language of threats and sanctions," an unnamed Iranian official said, adding that such threats "are open hostility against Iran's national interests." Trump told reporters, opens new tab on Wednesday at the White House: 'I want it (nuclear agreement) very strong where we can go in with inspectors, we can take whatever we want, we can blow up whatever we want, but nobody getting killed. We can blow up a lab, but nobody is gonna be in a lab, as opposed to everybody being in the lab and blowing it up.' Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities if diplomacy fails to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme. Trump said on Friday that an Iran deal was possible in the "not-too-distant future."
Asharq Al-Awsat
10 hours ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Diplomats: West Plans to Push IAEA Board to Find Iran in Breach of Duties
Western powers are preparing to push the UN nuclear watchdog's board at its next quarterly meeting to declare Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years, a move bound to enrage Tehran, diplomats said. The step is likely to further complicate talks between the United States and Iran aimed at imposing fresh restrictions on Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. Washington and its European allies Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, proposed past resolutions adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors calling on Iran to quickly take steps such as explain uranium traces the IAEA found at undeclared sites. The IAEA is preparing to send member states its quarterly reports on Iran before the next board meeting, which begins on June 9. One of those will be a longer, "comprehensive" account of issues including Iran's cooperation, as demanded by a board resolution in November, and diplomats expect it to be damning. "We expect the comprehensive report to be tough, but there were already no doubts over Iran not keeping its non-proliferation commitments," one European official told Reuters. Once that report is issued, the United States will draft a proposed resolution text declaring Iran in breach of its so-called safeguards obligations, three diplomats said. A fourth said the Western powers were preparing a draft resolution without going into specifics. The text will be discussed with countries on the board in coming days before being formally submitted to the board by the four Western powers during the quarterly meeting as has happened with previous resolutions, diplomats said. SECURITY COUNCIL The last time the board took the step of formally declaring Iran in breach of its safeguards obligations was in September 2005 as part of a diplomatic standoff that stemmed from the discovery of clandestine nuclear activities in Iran. The United States and IAEA now believe Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons program that it halted in 2003. Iran denies ever having had a weapons program and says it is only using nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. A separate IAEA board resolution passed in February 2006 referred Iran's non-compliance to the UN Security Council, which later imposed sanctions on Iran. The diplomats said it had not yet been determined at what point the Western powers would seek to have the matter referred to the Security Council, and it is unclear what action if any the Security Council would then take against Iran. The most immediate effect of a resolution is likely to be on Tehran's talks with the United States and any further nuclear steps Iran decides to take on the ground. The board has passed all recent resolutions proposed by the Western powers on Iran, and there is little doubt that this one would go through as well. The only question is how large the majority would be. Russia and China have been the only countries to consistently oppose such resolutions. Iran bristles at resolutions and other criticism of it at the IAEA board, taking steps such as accelerating and expanding its uranium enrichment program or barring top IAEA inspectors. It is already enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, which can easily be further enriched to the roughly 90% of weapons grade. It has enough material at that level, if enriched further, for six nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick.
Al Bawaba
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Iranian rapper Amir Tataloo hospitalized after reported overdose in jail
ALBAWABA - After attempting suicide while incarcerated, Amirhossein Maqsoudlou, better known as Iranian pop artist Amir Tataloo, is said to be in stable health. The controversial artist allegedly tried to kill himself by swallowing drugs, according to Hamshahri Online, which cited Fars News Agency. For urgent medical care, he was taken right away to a hospital. Tataloo's health has reportedly improved considerably, according to medical sources, and he should be released from the hospital in a few hours. Tataloo is now going through legal processes as part of a retrial and appeals process. Tataloo has been convicted many times in recent years. Although sources have refuted persistent allegations about the seriousness of his illness, officials have not disclosed any more information regarding his current charges or the circumstances behind the suicide attempt. Amir Tataloo is who? Amir Tataloo, who was born in Tehran on September 21, 1987, is credited with helping to establish Iranian underground hip-hop and R&B. He made many CDs after starting his musical career in 2003 with songs posted on his personal site. Tataloo's song "Energy Hastei," which backed Iran's nuclear program and had a music video made on an Iranian military ship, garnered a lot of attention in 2015. Tataloo has had a contentious career, with Iranian authorities arresting him many times for his public remarks and songs. He relocated to Turkey in 2018 to pursue his musical career, but in December 2023, he was deported back to Iran, where he was detained on many counts right once.
Asharq Al-Awsat
16 hours ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Cautious Optimism Between Washington and Tehran as Nuclear Talks Inch Forward
Amid renewed diplomatic engagement, cautious optimism is building around the Iranian nuclear file, with sources in Washington and Tehran suggesting that a political understanding may soon be within reach. While a comprehensive agreement has not yet been finalized, both sides appear to be edging closer to a deal that could revive stalled negotiations. US officials have indicated that a broad framework is on the table and could be finalized in the next round of talks. Iranian sources, meanwhile, have signaled conditional readiness to pause uranium enrichment -if two core demands are met: the release of billions in frozen Iranian assets and formal recognition of Iran's right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. Still, Tehran's tone remains guarded. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed back against speculation of an imminent deal, stating that while Iran is genuinely pursuing a diplomatic resolution, the path to agreement requires the full lifting of sanctions and formal guarantees of its nuclear rights. Araghchi warned against overreliance on media speculation, asserting that real solutions will only emerge through direct negotiation, not public pressure campaigns or political posturing. Iran's semi-official Nour News echoed this message, characterizing recent US optimism as a psychological tactic aimed at pressuring the Iranian delegation ahead of the upcoming, yet unscheduled, sixth round of talks. The outlet reiterated that meaningful outcomes cannot be dictated through media narratives but must be shaped at the negotiating table. US President Donald Trump added to the intrigue this week by confirming he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch a military strike against Iran, arguing that such an action would be ill-timed as talks approach a critical juncture. Trump said a resolution appears 'very close' and that aggressive moves would only derail progress. On the Iranian side, nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said Tehran might consider granting more access to international inspectors if future agreements are framed respectfully and reflect Iran's concerns. However, senior lawmakers pushed back against any suggestion that Iran is prepared to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure, underscoring that uranium enrichment and the removal of sanctions remain non-negotiable pillars of Iran's position. Meanwhile, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi warned that any new nuclear deal must include 'rigorous inspection mechanisms' to ensure compliance. In Moscow, Iran's top security official Ali Akbar Ahmadian met with his Russian counterpart and reaffirmed Tehran's commitment to diplomacy. However, he emphasized that Iran would not compromise on its right to maintain enrichment capabilities for peaceful purposes.
