Iran
Did A Budapest-Based Company Make Pagers Used In Attack On Hizballah In Lebanon?
BUDAPEST -- A Budapest-based company alleged to have made the pagers used in the deadly attack on Hizballah in Lebanon appears to have only one employee working from an empty office that offers a range of services but not pager manufacturing.
At least 12 people were killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pagers used by members of Hizballah, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, detonated simultaneously across Lebanon on September 17.
One official from Hizballah, Iran's most powerful proxy in the Middle East, called the attack the group's "biggest security breach" in its history.
Images of destroyed pagers indicated they were consistent with pagers made by Gold Apollo, a Taiwan-based company.
Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-Kuang said the pagers used in the explosion were made by a company in Europe that Gold Apollo named in a statement as BAC Consulting KFT.
The statement added that according to a cooperation agreement, BAC is authorized to "use our brand trademark for product sales in designated regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are solely the responsibility of BAC."
"The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," Hsu told reporters at the company's offices in the northern Taiwanese city of New Taipei on September 18.
However, the head of the Budapest-based company BAC Consulting KFT later told NBC News that her company did not make the pagers.
"I don't make the pagers. I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong," a person who identified themselves as Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono told the U.S. broadcaster.
According to RFE/RL's Hungarian Service, Barsony-Arcidacono, 49, has an apartment in Ujpest, a central district of Budapest, and had been engaged in business activities there since 2021.
Efforts to contact Barsony-Arcidiancono by RFE/RL were unsuccessful. The Hungarian Interior Ministry did not response to queries from RFE/RL on whether authorities planned to open a probe on the matter.
The stated address for BAC Consulting in Budapest is a peach-colored building on a mostly residential street in an outer suburb.
A person at the building who asked not to be named told RFE/RL's Hungarian Service he had never met any employees from BAC Consulting and only mail was forwarded to that address once a month.
The official register described the company as a "leadership consulting" business that was established in 2022.
The company's LinkedIn page boasts of having "over a decade of consulting experience."
"With over a decade of consulting experience, we are on an exciting and rewarding journey with our network of passionate experts with a hunger for innovation and discovery for the Environment, Innovation & Development, and International Affairs. We work internationally as agents of change with a network of consultants who put their knowledge, experience, and humanity into our projects in a connecting and authentic journey," it reads.
Besides consulting, its registered business activities also included everything from broadcast equipment production to hairdressing and even oil extraction. The company's website makes no reference to pager manufacturing. Revenue for 2022 was the equivalent of $700,000, with that figure dipping to a reported $565,000.
Barsony-Arcidiacono is listed as the CEO and sole employee of BAC Consulting KFT. On her LinkedIn page profile, she claims to have worked as an adviser for several organizations, including the European Commission, the EU’s top executive body, and UNESCO, the UN’s cultural organization.
Under education, she lists the London School of Economics and the SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) University in London.
- By Frud Bezhan
Israel's Suspected Pager Attack In Lebanon Marks New Phase In Hizballah Hostilities
A suspected Israeli attack targeting pagers used by members of the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hizballah appears to mark a new phase in the escalating hostilities between the longtime foes.
Israel and Hizballah have been engaged in deadly tit-for-tat cross-border attacks since the devastating war in the Gaza Strip erupted in October 2023.
Experts say the coordinated September 17 attack in Lebanon that killed at least 12 people and wounded thousands of others, many of them believed to be Hizballah fighters, was a significant escalation that could make a full-scale war between Israel and Hizballah inevitable.
Hizballah’s leadership and rank-and-file turned to handheld pagers to skirt Israeli surveillance on mobile-phone networks in Lebanon.
Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said there had been a "pattern of incremental escalation" between Israel and Hizballah in recent months.
Hizballah has been striking deeper into northern Israel and displacing tens of thousands of Israeli citizens. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its assassination campaign against Hizballah inside Lebanon.
"At some point, this will get out of hand and explode into an all-out war," Azizi said.
The pager explosions in Lebanon came just a day after Israel said it was expanding the focus of its almost yearlong campaign against EU- and U.S.-designated Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza to confront Hizballah on its northern border with Lebanon. Israel also added the safe return of its citizens to the north as a new goal in the war.
Ali Sardarzadeh, a Middle East analyst based in Germany, said the pager-explosion attack was intended to send a "clear message to Hizballah to stop the power display they are engaging in."
Israel is "pressuring Hizballah both through warfare and diplomacy," Sardarzadeh told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
Ali Mohtadi, a Britain-based regional expert, said the "explosion of pagers could mark a new phase of a [Israel-Hizballah] war that has been ongoing for nearly a year."
Mohdati told Radio Farda that a full-scale war was against the interests of both Israel and Hizballah but added that hostilities had "reached a stage where it could spiral out of control at any moment."
Hizballah has blamed Israel for the explosions and vowed to retaliate. The Israeli military has not commented.
Lina Khatib, director of the Middle East Institute at the London-based School of Oriental and African Studies, said the pager explosions were an embarrassment and major security breach for Hizballah. But she said a full-blown conflict was not inevitable.
"With Hizballah rendered vulnerable, Israel is continuing its military campaign in southern Lebanon," Khatib said. "But it will not necessarily escalate its military engagement into full-scale war as the pagers attack itself is a deterrent for Hizballah."
A direct conflict between Israel and Hizballah could trigger a wider regional war that would draw in Iran, Hizballah's key backer and Israel's archenemy.
Iran's proxies, including Hizballah, have launched attacks against Israel in support of Palestinians since the Gaza war erupted.
Iran and Israel have come to the brink of war on several occasions, including after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in Tehran in July. Tehran blamed Israel and pledged to retaliate, although there has been no direct military response by Iran.
Among those wounded in the September 17 attack in Lebanon was Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani. Iranian media reported that he suffered injuries "to the hand and the face."
Experts said that it was unlikely that the attack in Lebanon would trigger direct Iranian retaliation against Israel.
"I think Iran will consider this primarily a Hizballah issue despite the injuries suffered by the Iranian ambassador," said Raz Zimmt, senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.
"We will probably see discussions and consultations between Iran and Hizballah concerning a possible retaliation, but my sense is that Iran prefers the response to come from Hizballah."
Iranian-American Freed In Prisoner Exchange Accuses Iran Of 'Selling' Its Own People
Siamak Namazi, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was arbitrarily arrested while visiting his native country of Iran for a memorial service in 2015.
Subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison for "collaborating with a foreign government," unclear charges he denied, Namazi ended up being the longest-held Iranian-American prisoner until his release along with four other Americans last year in a controversial prisoner exchange.
In a rare interview with RFE/RL's Radio Farda ahead of the anniversary of his September 18, 2023, release, Namazi described the ill-treatment and interrogations he endured at Tehran's Evin prison during his eight years of incarceration and his mixed feelings upon being freed after being held "hostage" by Iran.
"I was in disbelief. I was both very happy to be released and deeply troubled that I was being traded like a slave," Namazi said. "I consider myself a child of Iran and an adopted child of the United States. I love both countries and tried to be a good citizen to both.”
Incredible Yet Sad
Namazi said that while the feeling of being freed "was incredible," he was also stepping into a world that "no longer felt familiar."
"There was also a deep sadness that it ended this way," he said of a process in which he felt he was denied justice by a system trying to profit from his imprisonment.
"I served eight out of a 10-year sentence before being exchanged. I lost Iran in the process. Eight years of prison, filled with harsh treatments," Namazi recalled, describing his incarceration in one of the most notoriously harsh wards of Evin prison.
"It wasn't normal. I spent 27 months in ward '2A,' where those who were detained and interrogated [know what it's like]. I was interrogated for more than two years."
He initially struggled to convince his guards and some of his fellow inmates that he was a "real" Iranian and that his treatment was unjust.
About six weeks prior to being flown out of Iran, Namazi was released from Evin prison and taken to a highly secured hotel in central Tehran.
Under constant watch by members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Namazi and the four other U.S. citizens who would be part of a prisoner swap awaited their fate under what he described as ridiculous circumstances.
"Some of their actions, you don’t know whether to laugh or cry," he said of his IRGC guards.
The guards would not tell the prisoners where they were, and made it clear that "if anyone found out where we were, they'd move us," Namazi said.
Iran's judiciary had ordered that the prisoners be fitted with ankle monitors and allowed to move within a 1-kilometer radius, but the IRGC was wary that hackers would be able to determine their location.
And while the IRGC wanted no attention paid to the prisoners, when they were eventually allowed to move around, they were followed closely by IRGC members whose distinctive presence drew public attention, Namazi says.
Controversial Exchange
Namazi and the four other Americans -- Morad Tahbaz, an environmental activist detained in 2018; Emad Shargi, arrested while visiting Iran in 2018, and two others not publicly named -- were ultimately freed in exchange for the release of around $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
The funds were transferred to Qatar where they were to be closely supervised and released only on condition that they be used for humanitarian purposes.
After Hamas -- a U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist group with ties to Iran -- carried out a deadly assault on Israel on October 7, the deal came under heavy criticism that it was aiding Iran's regional ambitions. Shortly afterward, the United States and Qatar agreed to deny Iran access to the $6 billion.
Under the deal that led to the release of the five Americans, clemency was also granted to five Iranians or Iranian-Americans who had been charged or convicted in the United States of violating sanctions against Iran. Some with U.S. citizenship were allowed the possibility of remaining in the United States.
"From the perspective of the Islamic republic, we were like $6 billion walking on two legs," Namazi said. "That's why there was such bizarre protection over us. It's kind of funny; there's always some comedy and absurdity in their system. On one hand, they play these spy games, and on the other, we had to eat in the hotel lobby. Where else could we go?"
After being denied the right to leave the hotel for weeks, Nazami was eventually allowed two nights a week to visit Saei Park, which abuts Tehran's Valiasr Street, the scene of unprecedented antiestablishment protests that had erupted in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.
On the anniversary of Amini's September 16 death in police custody for allegedly improperly wearing her hijab, Namazi saw ordinary Iranians singing protest songs and got to see the reactions of his IRGC guards.
"We had a guard who was twice my size, a true giant," Namazi recalled. "He said: 'Siamak, can people in your country protest and not get told off?'"
Namazi was incredulous at the idea that he was not considered to be an Iranian by his captors.
"I said, let's start from here; what do you mean by 'your country'? You weren't even born when I grew up in this park," Namazi said he told the guard. "I truly grew up in Saei Park. I have childhood memories of every inch of this park since before you even existed. I was born in Apadana Hospital. What do you mean?"
Namazi said he demanded that the guard declare that "this place belongs to Siamak" or he would begin shouting. "You need to understand that you are selling out a child of Iran," he told the guard, who declared his innocence.
"You're responsible for protection, for transport. You have a role in this ugly historical act," Namazi responded.
While on a trip to Iran to see his imprisoned son in 2016, Siamak's father, Baquer, was also arbitrarily detained, sentenced, and imprisoned for allegedly cooperating with U.S. intelligence agencies to spy on Iran. Baquer, at the age of 85, was released in October 2022 for medical treatment as the antiestablishment protests were spreading across Iran.
'Us And Them'
The younger Namazi, who just turned 53, says that he had been accustomed to being seen as an outsider while living in Africa in his youth with his father, a former provincial governor in Iran prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution and a representative for UNICEF who worked in Kenya, Somalia, and Egypt.
"This philosophy of 'us and them' gets so thick that it enables you to bring calamity upon another human being," Namazi said. "To do these things to another human, you have to strip them of their humanity. They don’t see him as a human. And in the Islamic republic, what happens is that we have these circles of 'us and them.' The interrogators certainly saw us as 'them.'"
It did not matter if "you were Iranian or not," Namazi said, adding that his interrogator "knew that at least 99 percent of what he was saying was completely fabricated."
Since his release, Namazi has strongly advocated for the release of other prisoners, including the Swedish-Iranian physician Ahmadreza Djalali, held by the Iranian authorities. His year out of prison has left Namazi with a message for Tehran, which he said had made the "selling" of its own people, like himself, "routine."
"Don't trade them. Don't barter them," Namazi said of Iranians with foreign citizenship who remain imprisoned under false pretexts in Iran.
"Release them using the laws of the Islamic republic, then we can sit down and talk, and in my opinion, this is a very reasonable starting point."
9 Killed, Thousands Wounded In Simultaneous Explosion Of Pagers In Lebanon, Minister Says
At least nine people were killed and 2,750 were wounded when pagers exploded simultaneously in Lebanon, the health minister said on September 17 after the Iranian-backed Hizballah militant group said two of its members and a girl were among those killed in the "mysterious" explosions.
Health Minister Firass Abiad said 200 of the injuries were critical, and Iran's ambassador in Beirut was among those injured, Iranian media reported.
Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Makary condemned the detonation of the pagers as an "Israeli aggression," while Hizballah said Israel would receive "its fair punishment" for the blasts.
Mojtaba Amani, Iran's ambassador in Beirut, was injured, Iranian media reported. The Fars news agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, quoted an unidentified informed source as saying that Amani suffered a "superficial injury" as a result of a pager explosion.
The news channel of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Mehr news agency also reported that Amani was injured.
The pagers that exploded were the latest models of the devices that Hizballah imported into the country in recent month, Reuters reported, citing three unidentified sources.
Reports from Lebanon indicate that "hundreds" of members of the Lebanese Hizballah group, including fighters and aid workers, were injured in the explosion of the pagers in southern Lebanon and its suburbs.
The Lebanese Foreign Ministry called it an "Israeli cyberattack," adding that some of the pagers that exploded were in Syria. The ministry also said in a statement that it was preparing to submit a complaint to the UN Security Council.
"This dangerous and deliberate Israeli escalation is accompanied by Israeli threats to expand the scope of the war against Lebanon on a large scale, and by the intransigence of Israeli's positions calling for more bloodshed, destruction, and devastation," it said.
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, said in a statement that she deplored the attack, warning that it "marked an extremely concerning escalation."
Without commenting directly on the explosions, an Israeli military spokesman said the chief of staff, Major General Herzi Halevi, had met with senior officers to assess the situation. No policy change was announced but "vigilance must continue to be maintained," he said, according to Reuters.
The United States was not aware in advance and had no involvement in the explosions, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
The blasts came after weeks of private diplomacy by the United States to discourage Iran from retaliating against Israel for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political chief, in Tehran.
Amos Yadlin, the former head of Israeli military intelligence, told RFE/RL that whoever carried out the pager-explosion operation intended to send a "clear message" to Hizballah.
Yadlin said it could be a response to a plot to assassinate a senior Israeli security official that the Israeli security apparatus announced. He also noted that Hizballah continues its attacks on Israel as it tries to link itself to the Gaza conflict, and Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah does not want to stop these attacks.
The Israeli government decided on September 16 to add the safe return of its citizens to the north as a goal in the war. This was part of an Israeli cabinet announcement that was expanding its war objectives and the focus of its almost yearlong campaign against the extremist group Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union, in Gaza to confront Hizballah on its northern border with Lebanon.
Nasrallah must understand that his actions will lead to a shift in Israeli policy, Yadlin told RFE/RL.
"However, whether this policy shift will result in a full-scale war or a limited military operation will become clear in the coming days. In any case, we are now in a new phase," he said
The events coincide with the return of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the region to try to revive cease-fire talks on the Israeli-Hamas war.
While the focus of the war has been on Gaza, exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hizballah, Hamas's ally in Lebanon, have killed hundreds of people, mostly militants in Lebanon and dozens of civilians and soldiers in Israel, and caused tens of thousands of people on both sides of the border to flee.
Israel's announcement on expanding its objectives came a day after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that "military action" was the only way left for Israel's northern communities to return to their homes.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed Middle East tensions with Gallant on September 17, the Pentagon announced.
"Secretary Austin spoke by phone today with his Israeli counterpart to touch base regarding ongoing tensions in the Middle East and the threats facing Israel," Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists.
Ryder declined to say whether the explosions were discussed.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
- By RFE/RL
Iranian Women Still Targets Of 'Brutal Repression' Since Amini Death
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Iran's leadership of an ongoing "brutal repression" of women and peaceful dissenters in the two years since the death of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian student Mahsa Amini while in police custody over a dress-code violation unleashed nationwide protests.
The international watchdog issued its statement on the September 16 anniversary of Amini's death, the same day recently inaugurated Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian pledged at his first press conference that he would use his authority to ensure the country's feared morality police no longer "bother" women.
But Pezeshkian faces an uphill climb limiting the power and influence of the morality police and other hard-line conservative institutions under the reign of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate religious and political authority in Iran.
"The authorities have failed to answer for the killing of hundreds and the arrest of thousands, and they have systematically continued their suppression of opponents, civil society, and human rights defenders," HRW quoted acting Iran researcher Nahid Naghshbandi as saying.
"A change in government and a new president have so far done nothing to alter the authorities' repressive actions toward dissent."
Iran is facing major economic difficulties, much of it brought on by Western sanctions, and growing anger among citizens in many cases led by women's groups over human rights violations at home.
Amini's parents were reportedly surrounded at their home in the city of Saghez and prevented from leaving as part of a clampdown on public signs of mourning that also included a roundup of activists or their families.
Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace laureate and longtime women's rights activist Narges Mohammadi issued a plea on September 16 urging the international community to act to end the oppression of women in Iran and other theocratic and authoritarian regimes.
Mohammadi hailed the Women, Life, Freedom movement sparked by Amini's death as part of a lasting "commitment to achieving democracy, freedom, and equality and to defeating theocratic despotism."
Speaking at his first press conference since taking office in late July following the death of a hard-line predecessor, relative moderate Pezeshkian said, "Morality police were not supposed to confront [women]. I will follow up so they don't bother them."
A female journalist in the room noted she had been forced to take a different route to the press conference to avoid a morality patrol.
"Imprisoned women in Iran are reviving the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement through hunger strikes, protest letters, and sit-ins, continuing their activism despite severe sentences," HRW said.
- By Reuters
Iran Said To Release Austrian Jailed On Unspecified Charges
Iranian authorities have released Austrian citizen Christian Weber, detained for crimes allegedly committed in Iran's West Azerbaijan Province, to Austria's ambassador in Tehran, the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency reported on September 17. Austria had said in 2022 that one of its citizens was arrested in Iran for charges not related to the protests that broke out in the country after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish Iranian woman. The news agency said the Austrian citizen was freed in consideration of Islamic mercy. He was handed over to his country's ambassador to arrange his exit, the agency said. Mizan did not specify the crime for which Weber was jailed. Calls to the Austrian Embassy before regular office hours went unanswered.
- By Reuters
India Condemns Iran Supreme Leader's Comments On Treatment Of Minorities
India has condemned comments made by Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the treatment of Muslims in the South Asian nation, calling his remarks "misinformed and unacceptable." "We cannot consider ourselves to be Muslims if we are oblivious to the suffering that a Muslim is enduring in Myanmar, Gaza, India, or any other place," Khamenei said on September 16. In response, India's Foreign Ministry said it "strongly deplored" the comments. "Countries commenting on minorities are advised to look at their own record before making any observations about others," the ministry spokesperson said. The two countries have typically shared a strong relationship.
Iran's Pezeshkian Claims No Transfer Of Weapons To Russia Since He Took Office
President Masud Pezeshkian claims that Iran has not transferred any weapons to Russia since he took office in late July and seemed to open the door for direct talks with the United States over nuclear issues, but only if Washington shows it is not "hostile" toward the Islamic republic.
The 69-year-old Pezeshkian, deemed a relative moderate by some observers, on September 16 also took a belligerent tone, declaring that his country will never give up its controversial missile program, despite Western sanctions aimed at limiting such activities.
Pezeshkian -- who assumed office on July 30 after winning an election to succeed hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi after his death in a helicopter crash in May -- was speaking in Tehran in his first official press conference.
The nationally televised event came at a time of high tensions, both inside Iran and throughout the Middle East.
Iran is facing major economic difficulties, much of it brought on by Western sanctions, and growing anger among citizens, led by women's groups, over human rights violations at home.
A female journalist told Pezeshkian during the news conference that she had to take alternative routes to reach the event to avoid so-called morality police officers, who enforce strict conservative dress requirements for women, often using brutal measures and drawing sharp rebukes from rights groups.
During the news conference, the president said he would use his authority to ensure that the morality police do not "bother" women.
"Morality police were not supposed to confront [women]. I will follow up so they don't bother" them, he said, although it remains unclear how much authority he would actually have to make changes.
Tehran has also faced Western condemnation and new sanctions over moves to send weapons to Russia that the Kremlin has used to attack Ukrainian forces and civilians, especially deadly Shahed drones.
More recently, media reports have suggested that Tehran has provided the Kremlin with powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.
"It is possible that a delivery [of some weapons] took place in the past...but I can assure you that since I took office, there has not been any such delivery to Russia," he said.
Asked whether Tehran would be open to holding direct talks with the United States to restart the 2015 nuclear deal with global powers, Pezeshkian said: "We are not hostile toward the U.S. They should end their hostility toward us by showing their goodwill in practice."
"We are brothers with the Americans as well."
As president, Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally pulled the United States out of the landmark nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and also signed by China, France, Russia, Britain, and Germany.
Trump also reimposed crippling financial sanctions against Tehran.
President Joe Biden has sought to restart the agreement, although Washington and Tehran -- meeting through third parties -- have disagreed on terms.
Pezeshkian insisted that Tehran was not seeking to enrich uranium at near-weapons-grade levels but that it was forced to by the U.S. withdrawal from the pact.
"I think, we said many times, we don't want to do this at all. We want to solve our technical and scientific needs We are not looking for nuclear weapons," Pezeshkian said in response to a question by AP.
"We adhered to the framework written in the [nuclear agreement]. We are still looking to maintain those frameworks. They tore them, they forced us to do something."
Tehran and Washington have not had diplomatic relations since 1980, when U.S. President Jimmy Carter broke off ties amid the Iran hostage crisis.
Pezeshkian claimed Iran will never give up its missile program, claiming it is needed for security in a troubled region and where, he said, Israel is able to "drop missiles on Gaza every day," referring to that country's war with Hamas movement, declared a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.
Pezeshkian also denied that Iran had sent hypersonic missiles to Yemen's Huthi rebels that have been used to target ships in the Persian Gulf and as of September 15 have been launched at Israel.
With reporting by Reuters
On Amini Death Anniversary, Iran's Jailed Nobel Winner Mohammadi Urges Action Against 'Gender Apartheid'
Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Narges Mohammadi issued a plea on September 16 to coincide with the second anniversary of the death in police custody of Iranian-Kurdish student Mahsa Amini for international institutions and people to act to end the oppression of women in Iran and under other theocratic and authoritarian regimes.
Mohammadi said in the letter from Tehran's notorious Evin prison -- published via her foundation -- that "on the second anniversary of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, we reaffirm our commitment to achieving democracy, freedom, and equality and to defeating theocratic despotism."
A mother of two and former journalist previously jailed for her criticisms, Mohammadi worked alongside fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi at the Defenders Of Human Rights Center for years before a series of detentions and convictions beginning in 2010 and continuing through her current lengthy sentence and reports of further prosecution for activities while in custody.
"I urge the United Nations to end its silence and inaction in the face of the devastating oppression and discrimination by theocratic and authoritarian governments against women by criminalizing gender apartheid," Mohammadi said in the statement.
"The liberation of women from the grip of oppression and discrimination is essential for empowering the force that drives peace and democracy."
In a joint statement issued on September 16 to mark the anniversary, the United States, Canada, Australia, Britain, and New Zealand said: "We stand with women and girls in Iran, and Iranian human rights defenders, across all segments of society in their ongoing daily fight for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
"We call on the new Iranian administration to fulfil its pledge to ease pressure on civil society in Iran and to end the use of force to enforce the hijab requirement."
During a news conference on September 16, Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian claimed he would use his authority to ensure that morality police do not "bother" women.
"Morality police were not supposed to confront [women]. I will follow up so they don't bother" them, he said, although it remains unclear how much authority he would actually have to make changes.
The 22-year-old Amini died on September 16, 2022, in a hospital after eyewitnesses and her family alleged she had been beaten while in police custody.
Amini's death sparked some of the largest-ever street protests against Iran's clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The Women, Life, Freedom movement has persisted, despite the jailings of critics like Mohammadi and a harsh clampdown on dissent.
Sources close to Amini's parents told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Iranian authorities had "surrounded" the family home in the town of Saghez ahead of the anniversary and ordered them to remain at home or face arrest, in addition to other reported measures to guard against public demonstrations of sympathy.
Amini's father, Amjad Amini, on September 15 expressed gratitude for Kurdish, Iranian, and other efforts to mount labor strikes to mark the anniversary.
Iranian authorities, who cracked down on the family and others a year ago, have sought to avoid public acknowledgement of the anniversary.
"In these two difficult and agonizing years, although the wounds have left marks on the bodies of those exhausted and tormented by oppression, discrimination, and tyranny, and despite the challenging road ahead, we all know that nothing is as it was before," Mohammadi said in her statement.
Family members of some of those killed in the state crackdown on the protests have been also arrested in recent weeks, and others, especially in Iran's Kurdistan, have been summoned by authorities.
The Narges Mohammadi Foundation said on September 15 that 34 female prisoners at Evin went on hunger strike to commemorate Amini's death at the hands of the morality police and mark the birth of the related rights movement.
Iranian Diaspora Marks Student's Death That Sparked Protests
Iranian emigrants and human rights advocates rallied in European cities on September 14 ahead of the second anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini. Some chanted "Women, life, freedom" -- the central slogan of nationwide protests that rocked Iran after the 22-year-old student died in custody. The feared morality police detained her for allegedly violating the mandatory dress code for women. Hundreds were killed and thousands arrested as the government cracked down on protesters outraged by Amini's case.
- By Reuters
Iran's President To Attend BRICS Summit In Russia
Iran's President Masud Pezeshkian will attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia, state media cited Tehran's ambassador in Moscow as saying on September 15, amid tensions with the West over military cooperation between the two countries. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that Russia had received ballistic missiles from Iran and cooperation between Moscow and Tehran threatened wider European security. The United States, Germany, Britain, and France imposed new sanctions on Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran did not deliver any ballistic missiles to Russia and that sanctions imposed by the U.S. and the three European countries against Iran were not a solution. Iran's ambassador in Russia, Kazem Jalali, reportedly confirmed that Pezeshkian will attend the summit of the BRICS group of major emerging economies, scheduled to be held in Kazan, Russia, on October 22-24.
Mahsa Amini's Family 'Surrounded,' Ordered To Stay Home On Anniversary Of Iranian Student's Death In Custody
Sources close to the family of the late Iranian-Kurdish student Mahsa Amini have told Radio Farda on September 15 that security forces "have surrounded their home" in Saghez and prevented them from leaving the house as the second anniversary passed of her death in custody.
A source said Amini's father, Amjad Amini, received a call from Iran's Intelligence Ministry earlier in the day telling the family not to leave their house.
The caller reportedly said Amjad Amini and his wife would be arrested if they went outside.
The source also told Radio Farda that they could hear helicopters flying over Saghez.
The 22-year-old Amini's death after reports of beating and abuse when she was detained by morality police over an alleged dress-code violation sparked massive nationwide protests over official abuses and the country's treatment of women.
Amjad Amini told Radio Farda last week that the family had the right to mark the anniversary and was hoping to do so if allowed by authorities.
Over the past two days, reports have said several members of the families of those killed in the state crackdown on the protests have been also arrested.
There have also been reports of activists and families of those killed being summoned by authorities, especially in Iran's Kurdistan.
On September 15, the foundation of jailed Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi said 34 women prisoners in Iran have gone on hunger strike to mark two years since the start of the protest movement.
"Today, on the 15th September 2024, 34 female political prisoners in Evin Prison have gone on a hunger strike in commemoration of the second anniversary of the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' movement and the killing of Mahsa (Jina) Amini," the Narges Mohammadi Foundation said on its website.
The foundation did not provide specifics or indicate how long the hunger strike might last, but it said the women sought to "show solidarity with the protesting people of Iran against the government’s oppressive policies."
Mohammadi, 52, has been campaigning for human rights in Iran for decades and has been in and out of prison for the past 20 years. She has been convicted five times since March 2021 and is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence for "spreading propaganda" against the Islamic republic.
Following Amini's death after days reportedly in a coma in September 2022, vans carrying the police force notorious for its strong-armed enforcement of the "hijab law" temporarily disappeared from the streets as protesters across Iran staged daily demonstrations for months.
The authorities claimed she had died due to medical problems, but her family and witnesses at the scene of her arrest said she was beaten by police and died as a result of her injuries.
The anger gave rise to the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement, which Iranians say has left an indelible mark of public defiance on the country and observers say has presented one of the biggest threats to the Islamic government since the 1979 revolution.
'Women, Life, Freedom': Iran's Protest Movement Magnifies Defiance, Camaraderie 2 Years On
Today marks two years since Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian-Kurdish woman, paid the ultimate price for the "crime" of not wearing her hijab properly.
Known to her friends and family by her Kurdish name Jina, Amini's death in police custody sparked months of nationwide protests that posed one of the strongest challenges to the legitimacy of the Islamic republic since its inception in 1979.
Amini had been detained by Tehran's morality police for allegedly flouting Iran's dress code requiring women to wear a hair-covering head scarf, or hijab. Following her death, vans carrying the police force notorious for its strong-armed enforcement of the "hijab law" temporarily disappeared from the streets as protesters across Iran staged demonstrations every day for months, giving rise to a movement that came to be known as "Women, Life, Freedom."
Two years on, Iranians who spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Farda say the movement has left an indelible mark on society, inspiring a rising level of defiance and instilling a palpable sense of camaraderie.
"I think it'd be better to ask what hasn't changed [since the protests]," said Farhad, a male supporter of the movement whose real identity is being withheld for his safety, as are those of others who spoke to Radio Farda. "We all found the courage to be ourselves."
Looking Out For One Another
One of the most striking consequences of the protest movement has been a growing sense of fellowship among people; whereas once bystanders may have ignored a woman being accosted for not covering her hair, today they come to her aid.
"People have become more empathetic," said, Atousa, a woman who recalled how strangers helped her during recent run-ins with individuals who had confronted her about not following the dress code.
"It's happened a few times that someone's come up to me to warn me about my hijab and people have either joined me to talk the person down or gave me words of encouragement," she said.
And Atousa is not the only woman to have witnessed this camaraderie.
"People in public spaces confront each other less [about the hijab] and look out for each other more," said Maryam.
She told Radio Farda that on several occasions, strangers had tipped her off about a police presence further up the street so that she could avoid the area or cover her hair.
'No Longer Give In To Pressure'
The 2022 protests grew every day, spreading to towns and cities across Iran and drawing men and women of all ages, particularly teenagers, to the streets.
The unrest was brutally suppressed, with the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group estimating that more than 500 protesters were killed by security forces. At least 10 men have been executed for alleged involvement in attacks on security personnel during the unrest.
Human Rights Watch on September 10 accused the authorities in Iran of continuing "to silence and punish family members" of those killed in the protests or imprisoned since the unrest.
The Women, Life, Freedom protests "showed that people know exactly what they want and will no longer give in to pressure," said Fariba.
She said the movement has "become internalized" and insisted that "no authority can prevent the consequences of this transformation."
Atousa echoed the same sentiment, saying that women now wear less restrictive clothes in many places and hear fewer snarky remarks in public because it is becoming normal to challenge the strict dress code.
"It looks like [the authorities] have retreated in some places that are normally strict, like domestic airports," she observed.
Atousa said that in both large and small cities there are places where women not only defy the dress code by refusing to cover their hair, but "dress beautifully."
The authorities have sought to intensify hijab enforcement. They have tried a variety of methods such as reintroducing the morality police, shutting down businesses, and even barring pharmacies from selling medicine to women who fail to comply with the dress code. They have even encouraged conservative civilians to verbally warn women who do not observe the hijab, which has led to cases of violence.
"The establishment has the power, and whenever it sees that camaraderie is growing, it tries to destroy it," said Maryam. Describing what she called a cycle of resistance and the crackdowns that follow, she said that "I think the positive part [people's defiance] lasts longer every time."
Persisting Anxiety
Despite increased signs of strength in the face of ever-increasing pressure, Iranians are still suffering from hopelessness and anxiety, according to people who spoke to Radio Farda.
"There's a lot of social anxiety caused by uncertainty about what's going to happen in the future," Atousa said. "I see this all around me; anxiety induced by social and economic issues."
She added that she had seen a rise in drug and alcohol use over the past two years.
Sarah, another woman who has supported the protests, said there is a "lack of stability" in everything, especially in the cost of living. Making matters worse, many have to contend with their friends and family leaving the country.
"You're constantly losing money, friends, and relationships that you've built," she said. "This is very damaging."
Sarah joked bitterly that asking what antidepressant others are taking has become a standard part of greetings.
But despite the problems, people continue to defy the authorities, according to Mehran, another male supporter, who predicted that society would prevail.
"Resisting against the progress of life has always been condemned to failure," he said.
Written by Kian Sharifi based on interviews by Hannah Kaviani of RFE/RL's Radio Farda
- By Reuters
G7 Foreign Ministers Condemn Iran's Export Of Ballistic Missiles To Russia
The foreign ministers of the Group of the Seven countries on September 14 condemned "in the strongest terms" Iran's export and Russia's procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles. "Iran must immediately cease all support to Russia's illegal and unjustifiable war against Ukraine and halt such transfers of ballistic missiles, UAVs and related technology, which constitute a direct threat to the Ukrainian people as well as European and international security more broadly," the G7 foreign ministers said in a statement issued from their meeting in Rome. The G7 members -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States -- are the world's leading industrialized countries.
- By Reuters
Iran Open To Talks But Rejects Pressure Of Sanctions, Foreign Minister Says
Iran's foreign minister said Tehran is open to diplomacy to solve disputes but not "threats and pressure," state media reported on September 14 after the United States and three European countries imposed new sanctions, including measures against Iran Air. Abbas Araqchi's comments came a day after the EU's foreign policy chief said the bloc is considering similar sanctions in reaction to reports Tehran supplied Russia with ballistic missiles in its war against Ukraine. Araqchi said Iran continues "on its own path with strength, although we have always been open to talks to resolve disputes" but dialogue should be "based on mutual respect, not on threats and pressure," according to state news agency IRNA. Araqchi on September 11 denied Tehran had delivered any ballistic missiles to Russia, adding sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States Germany, Britain, and France would not solve any problems between them.
- By AP
Iran Says It Has Successfully Sent A Satellite Into Space
Iran has sent a research satellite into orbit with a rocket built by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' aerospace division, the state-run IRNA news agency reported on September 14. The report said the Chamran-1 satellite has a weight of 60 kilograms and successfully reached a 550-kilometer orbit in space. In January, Iran said it successfully launched three satellites into space with a rocket. The United States has previously said Iran’s satellite launches defy a UN Security Council resolution and called on Tehran to undertake no activity involving ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. UN sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired last October.
EU Condemns Alleged Iranian Missile Transfers To Russia, Mulls New Sanctions
The European Union has condemned the recent alleged transfer of Iranian-made ballistic missiles to Russia and is considering new sanctions against Tehran in response.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on September 13 that Brussels had "repeatedly strongly cautioned Iran against transfers of ballistic missiles to Russia," which has worked to boost its depleted arsenal as it continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The bloc, Borrell said, would "respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners" and was considering ways to target Iran's already heavily sanctioned aviation sector.
The comments came after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that the weapons received by Russia could be used in the war against Ukraine within weeks. In a joint statement issued on September 10, Britain, France, and Germany called the transfers "an escalation by both Iran and Russia" and "a direct threat to European security."
A diplomatic source on September 13 said that the French Foreign Ministry had summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in the country over the alleged transfers of short-range missiles, which Tehran has denied.
The three countries also announced they had canceled air-service agreements with Iran that would restrict flights by an Iranian air carrier to Europe.
In response, the Iranian government separately summoned the envoys of Britain, France, Germany, as well as the Netherlands. Iran's official IRNA news agency reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry told the envoys that the accusations were part of Western hostility against Iran and that the actions would "be met with an appropriate response from the Islamic republic."
Iranian weapon transfers to Russia have been a contentious issue since Russia launched its unprovoked, all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Iranian suicide drones, both those manufactured in Iran and increasingly copies made in Russia using Iranian blueprints, have proven to be a deadly boost to Russia's strike capabilities throughout the war.
Russia has also pounded Ukrainian infrastructure and cities with ballistic missiles, depleting its stockpiles of such weapons even as it has greatly boosted its domestic production. Moscow has been accused of turning to North Korea and Iran to boost supplies of drones, missiles, and other munitions.
Iran has denied providing Russia with Shahed drones, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and said that any suicide and more advanced combat drones sent to Moscow were transferred before the war in Ukraine began.
Russia and Iran, two major oil and gas producers under heavy sanctions from the West and the UN, have significantly strengthened their political and business ties in recent years. The two have worked out barter deals that circumvent sanctions that restrict their petroleum revenue and get around punitive measures that have effectively cut them off from the international banking system.
The sharing of technology and know-how has raised concerns that Tehran could bolster its controversial nuclear program, while Russia could feed its war effort against Ukraine.
The fears were heightened last year following reports that Iran was considering exporting ballistic missiles to Russia, and the expiration in October of UN Security Council sanctions designed to thwart Iran's development of ballistic missiles and which barred its sale of such weapons.
Britain, France, and Germany have maintained their sanctions intended to restrict Iran's nuclear development and possible delivery systems such as missiles, and the United States has imposed new sanctions targeting individuals in both Russia and Iran in an effort to penalize Iranian efforts to buy or sell technology related to its drone and missile programs.
However, both Russia and Iran said following the expiration of the UN sanctions last year that no obstacles remained to their defense cooperation and potential trade of military technology and weapons.
In August, a new report said Iran was preparing to export Fath-360 and Ababil close-range missiles. Last week, satellite imagery reportedly showed a Russian cargo ship suspected of carrying Iranian ballistic missiles docked at a Russian port on the Caspian Sea on September 4.
The U.S. Treasury department on September 10 assessed that the Russian Defense Ministry had used the Port Olya 3 ship to "transport CRBMs from Iran to Russia."
The development has added urgency to Ukraine's appeals to its Western partners to allow it to use donated weaponry to strike deeper into Russian territory.
Wary Of Iranian Restrictions, Mahsa Amini's Family Plans To Mark Death Anniversary
The family of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian-Kurdish woman whose death while in police custody in 2022 sparked the Women, Life, Freedom protest movement, hopes to mark her second death anniversary -- if allowed by Iranian authorities.
In a message sent to RFE/RL's Radio Farda on September 12, Amjad Amini said they were going to mark the occasion at the cemetery where his daughter is buried in response to calls from people wanting to pay tribute.
"We, the family of Mahsa Jina Amini, like all the grieving families across Iran, wish to exercise our right to hold a traditional and religious ceremony in memory of our beloved, marking the anniversary of her passing," he said in an audio message.
Amini said last year they were unable to hold a public gathering because the authorities blocked access to the Aichi cemetery in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, where his daughter is buried.
"If such restrictions are not imposed this year, the anniversary ceremony will take place on September 15, in response to the many requests we have received from the honorable and dear people," he added.
Last year, Amini was briefly detained on his daughter's death anniversary and the whole family were barred from leaving home.
The 22-year-old died on September 16, 2022. However, because the leap year is marked on different dates on the Iranian and Gregorian calendars, the anniversary this year falls on September 15.
Amini was arrested in Tehran on September 13, 2022, while visiting the Iranian capital with her family. She was detained by Iran's "morality police" for allegedly improperly wearing her hijab, or head scarf. Within hours of her detention, she was hospitalized in a coma and died on September 16.
The protests that followed lasted for months, spreading from city to city and drawing men and women into the streets. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights estimates more than 500 protesters were killed as the authorities cracked down on the unrest.
At least 10 men have been executed in relation to the protests for alleged involvement in attacks on security forces during the demonstrations.
Ahead of the anniversary of Amini's death last year, the authorities stepped up pressure against family members of those killed, including through arrests, summons for questioning, and warnings against them holding memorial events in honor of Amini or their loved ones.
- By RFE/RL
Fath-360: The Iranian Missile Reportedly In Russian Hands
A Fath-360 missile is launched during military exercises in southern Iran in November 2022.
The short-range ballistic missile was first unveiled at a Tehran military parade in April 2022. Fath means “conquest” in Persian. Each 5.2-meter-long missile can carry a 150-kilogram warhead. That is some three times the explosive charge of the notorious Iranian-designed Shahed drones that have killed scores of Ukrainian civilians since first being deployed by Russia in 2022.
Recent media reports claim Russia has received Fath-360 missile systems from Iran, along with hundreds of missiles. Here is what that weapon system looks like, and how it could influence the war in Ukraine.
Pezeshkian In Iraq On First Foreign Trip As Iran's President
Iran's new president, Masud Pezeshkian, kicked off a three-day visit to neighboring Iraq on September 11 on what is his first foreign trip since taking office in late July.
Expanding relations with neighbors is Iran’s state policy, and Pezeshkian has vowed to deliver.
Pezeshkian, who speaks fluent Kurdish, will also make history by becoming the first Iranian president to visit Iraqi Kurdistan.
While the government in Tehran has had good relations with the authorities in Irbil, ties have often been tested over the semiautonomous Iraqi region's hosting of outlawed opposition Iranian Kurdish groups.
Baghdad and Irbil recently started implementing a security agreement signed last year with Tehran to move the groups away from the border with Iran and disarm them.
"It was a very good opportunity to visit the friend and brother country of Iraq in my first foreign trip as the president of Iran," Pezeshkian said in Baghdad.
"We need to implement security cooperation agreements between the two countries in order to deal with terrorists and enemies," he added.
The neighbors have strong economic relations, and Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani told reporters during a joint news conference with Pezeshkian that the two countries signed 14 memorandums of understanding to boost relations.
Pezeshkian will also visit Basra, Iraq's economic hub, which Iran hopes to link to the town of Shalamcheh just across the border via rail as part of a larger railway project connecting Iran to Syria.
Pezeshkian and Sudani also discussed the war in Gaza, with the latter telling reporters at a joint press conference that both leaders opposed any expansion of the war between Israel and Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.
With reporting by AFP and AP
- By RFE/RL
Iran Vows 'Proportionate' Response After Sanctions Over Alleged Missile Transfers To Russia
Iran has vowed to deliver a “symmetric and proportionate” response after Britain, France, and Germany canceled air services agreements with Tehran and pledged to sanction its flag carrier, Iran Air.
The European trio, known as the E3, said in a joint statement on September 10 that they were taking the measures after confirming that Iran had transferred ballistic missiles to Russia.
Separately, the United States designated 10 individuals and six entities based in Iran and Russia, including Iran Air, over the alleged delivery of the ballistic missiles.
In a statement late on September 10, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani called the allegation “completely baseless and false.”
“The actions of these three European countries is a continuation of the West’s hostile policy and imposition of economic terrorism against the people of Iran,” he said in a statement on Telegram.
“It will face a symmetrical and proportionate response.”
In their statement, the E3 said the suspected delivery of ballistic missiles “is a further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and will see Iranian missiles reaching European soil, increasing the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”
Iran has been hit with several tranches of sanctions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 over Moscow's use of Iranian-made Shahed and Mohajer drones in the war.
Iran still denies that its drones are being used in the war and insists it is not taking sides in the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his British counterpart, David Lammy, officially accused Iran of the missile transfers earlier on September 10 in London.
"Russia has now received shipments of these [Iranian] ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians," Blinken said.
The Kremlin has yet to comment on Blinken's statement.
A day earlier it declined to directly refute the accusation about Iranian-supplied missiles and instead highlighted its cooperation with Tehran, saying it was developing dialogue in all areas.
Tehran has denied supplying missiles to Moscow.
Experts agree that short-range ballistic missiles could be a boost to Moscow's war effort in neighboring Ukraine, which already benefits from Iranian drone supplies and technology.
Peter Stano, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, said the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia represents a further military escalation and will be met with a "strong response" from the European Union.
The EU's diplomatic service has already presented the bloc's members with "a substantial set of decisive and targeted measures" against Iran in response to the transfer, Stano said.
Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, said on September 10 that new sanctions against Iran over the missile deliveries would be a "positive step" but said it was not enough.
"We also need authorization to use Western weapons against military targets on Russian territory, the provision of longer-range missiles, and the enhancement of our air-defense systems," Yermak said on X.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. Levels More Sanctions On Iran After Alleged Missile Transfer To Russia
The United States on September 10 issued new sanctions on Iran in response to Tehran's military support to Russia, including the alleged recent delivery of ballistic missiles, for use in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. Treasury Department designated 10 individuals and six entities based in Iran and Russia for sanctions and identified four vessels as blocked property that the Treasury Department said are enabling Iran’s delivery of weapons components and weapons systems to Russia. The weapons that the United States said were transferred include drones and close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs).
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
"In late 2023, Iran and Russia signed a contract for the supply of hundreds of missiles. In the summer of 2024, Russian military personnel were trained on the use of Iran’s Project 360 CBRMs by Iranian personnel," the Treasury Department said in a statement, adding that Russia received the first shipment of CBRMs from Iran earlier this month.
The announcement came after the United States and key European allies accused Iran of a dangerous escalation in a pattern of malign activity that threatens European security by supplying the short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his British counterpart, David Lammy, officially accused Iran of the missile transfers earlier on September 10 in London.
"Russia has now received shipments of these [Iranian] ballistic missiles and will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine against Ukrainians," Blinken said.
The Kremlin has yet to comment on Blinken's statement. A day earlier it declined to directly refute the accusation about Iranian-supplied missiles and instead highlighted its cooperation with Tehran, saying it was developing dialogue in all areas. Tehran has denied supplying missiles to Moscow.
After Blinken and Lammy's statements, the German Foreign Ministry called out Iran for its support of Russia's "war of aggression," noting that Iranian missiles could as a result be striking European soil.
It shared a joint German, French, and British statement condemning the transfers, calling them "an escalation by both Iran and Russia" and "a direct threat to European security."
Experts agree that short-range ballistic missiles could be a boost to Moscow's war effort in neighboring Ukraine, which already benefits from Iranian drone supplies and technology.
The U.S. Treasury Department's statement said Iran Air -- the country's flagship airline -- was one of the entities designated for sanctions. It said its actions against the airline and other entities, individuals, and vessels were "concurrent" with actions announced by international partners.
"Iran Air has a history of transporting goods on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics," the department said. "Iran has also provided freight shipping services to Russia, including shipments of electronics and aircraft parts."
Iran-based Azadegan Transportation Co., another IRGC-affiliated company critical to the logistics operations of the IRGC, is another of the entities hit by U.S. sanctions, which freeze any assets the individuals and entities hold in U.S. jurisdiction and bar any transactions with U.S. persons.
Peter Stano, spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, said the transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia represents a further military escalation and will be met with a "strong response" from the European Union.
The EU's diplomatic service has already presented EU members with "a substantial set of decisive and targeted measures" against Iran in response to the transfer, Stano said.
"A delivery of ballistic missiles will likely assist Russia's escalatory bombing campaign against Ukrainian civilians, cities and civilian infrastructure, further increasing civilian casualties and destruction," Stano said.
Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, said new sanctions against Iran over the missile deliveries would be a "positive step" but said it was not enough.
"We also need authorization to use Western weapons against military targets on Russian territory, the provision of longer-range missiles, and the enhancement of our air-defense systems," Yermak said on X.
The Wall Street Journal and other U.S. media have quoted anonymous sources asserting that the Iranian missiles have come at a crucial juncture in the 36-month-old full-scale invasion.
Support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia's invasion is one of the main agenda items during Blinken's London visit, which was to include a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Reiterating ongoing U.S. and U.K. support for Kyiv, Blinken and Lammy announced their plans to travel this week to Ukraine in what Lammy called "the first joint visit of this kind for well over a decade."
"This is a troubling action that we're seeing from Iran," Lammy said. "It is definitely a significant escalation and we are coordinating."
The Blinken-Lammy meeting came with the secretary of Iran's Security Council, Ali Akbar Ahmadian, in Russia for a meeting later this week of security officials from countries in the BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa and other major emerging economies.
Lammy said the United States and the United Kingdom are "completely aligned on the need to tackle Iran's malign activity in the region and beyond."
"We're seeing a disturbing pattern of greater Iranian support for the Kremlin's illegal group, and we discussed today our shared commitment to holding Tehran to account for their undermining of global stability," Lammy said.
Blinken said the alleged Iranian supply of short-range ballistic missiles gives Russia added capability and flexibility, and would free up Moscow to devote other resources to longer-range targets in the ongoing war on Ukraine.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
- By RFE/RL
EU Hints At 'Swift' Response Over Iran Missile Supplies To Russia
The European Union on September 9 described as "credible" information provided by allies suggesting Iran has supplied short-range ballistic missiles to Russia to help Moscow wage war in Ukraine and hinted at a "swift" response.
The statement came after the Kremlin declined to directly refute the accusation and instead highlighted its cooperation with Tehran in "the most sensitive areas" while Iran "strongly rejected" the allegation.
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"We are aware of the credible information provided by allies on the delivery of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia," EU spokesman Peter Stano said. "We are looking further into it with our member states and, if confirmed, this delivery would represent a substantive material escalation in Iran's support for Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine."
Stano added that "the EU leaders' unanimous position has always been clear. The European Union will respond swiftly and in coordination with international partners, including with new and significant restrictive measures against Iran."
Earlier the same day, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the Russian side had "seen this report."
But he did not appear to refute it.
"It is not every time that this kind of information is true," Peskov said. "Iran is our important partner, we are developing our trade and economic relations, we are developing our cooperation and dialogue in all possible areas, including the most sensitive areas."
Later, the Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a flat denial. "We strongly reject the claims on Iran's role in exporting arms to one side of the war," ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told a press conference.
State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said on September 9 that the United States was "incredibly alarmed by reports of the transfer of Iranian missiles to Russia."
Patel told reporters at a briefing that if the reports proved to be true, it would mean a "dramatic escalation of Iran's support of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine." He also confirmed that the United States would deliver "significant consequences" to Iran if necessary.
Analysts had suggested as rumors of a possible transfer of the weapons circulated that it would provide a boost to Russia's war efforts as its 36-month-old full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues.
Russian forces have purportedly used North Korean ballistic missiles, but North Korean production capacity is thought to be relatively small.
Russian Security Council Secretary and until recently longtime Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Tehran in early August, contributing to concerns.
Russia has used Iranian-designed attack drones since the early months of the invasion, although Tehran has denied its drones are being deployed there.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
- By Reuters
U.S. Sees Potential Iran Transfer Of Missiles To Russia As Alarming
Any Iranian transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would mark a sharp escalation in the Ukraine war, the United States said on September 6 after reports that the two countries had deepened ties with such an arms transfer. White House National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said the United States is alarmed by the reports. "Any transfer of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a dramatic escalation in Iran's support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," Savett said. Reuters reported in August that Russia was expecting the imminent delivery of hundreds of Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles. The Wall Street Journal reported on September 6 that short-range missiles had been delivered to Russia from Iran.
Telegram Founder Durov Says French Investigation, Arrest 'Misguided'
Telegram founder Pavel Durov, in his first public comments since his arrest in France late last month, expressed surprise that he was interrogated and told by investigators that he "may be personally responsible for other people's illegal use" of the popular messaging app.
Durov said in a lengthy blog post that he was arrested and questioned for four days after arriving in in Paris because "the French authorities didn’t receive responses from Telegram" regarding their complaints.
He was charged on August 28 with several crimes related to alleged illicit activity on the messaging app but avoided jail after posting a $5.5 million bail and was released on the condition that he remain in France and report to a police station twice a week.
French prosecutors accuse the 39-year-old Durov of complicity in allowing drug trafficking and the sharing of sexual images of children on Telegram, and of refusing to share documents demanded by authorities investigating illegal activity on the app.
But the Russian-born Durov -- who has citizenship in France as well as Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean archipelago of St. Kitts and Nevis -- said his arrest was "misguided."
"Telegram has an official representative in the EU that accepts and replies to EU requests," Durov wrote. "If a country is unhappy with an Internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself."
He denied any suggestion that the app is an "anarchic paradise" and defended efforts to monitor its 950 million users, saying that "we take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day."
Durov said Telegram also publishes daily transparency reports and that he had personally helped set up a hotline on Telegram to help the French authorities deal with the threat of terrorism.
"Sometimes we can’t agree with a country’s regulator on the right balance between privacy and security. In those cases, we are ready to leave that country," he wrote. He singled out Russia and Iran, where the encrypted app is a popular and safe means of communication among citizens and during protests, as places where Telegram was banned because it would not aid authorities' efforts to monitor users.
"When Russia demanded we hand over 'encryption keys' to enable surveillance, we refused -- and Telegram got banned in Russia. When Iran demanded we block channels of peaceful protesters, we refused -- and Telegram got banned in Iran. We are prepared to leave markets that aren’t compatible with our principles, because we are not doing this for money," Durov said.
He acknowledged that Telegram was "not perfect" and that "growing pains" had "made it easier for criminals to abuse the platform," but Durov said the app was driven by the "intention to bring good and defend the basic rights of people, particularly where these rights are violated."
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