Spring of freedom

Under scrutiny. The conference room of the Zahra Centre, the headquarters of a Shia association in northern France, after it was raided by 200 policemen, on October 2. (AFP) There was a time Iran systematically assassinated Iranian opposition members in Europe. Some of the more prominent assassinations of the 1980s and early 1990s were: Shahriar Shafiq, the shah’s nephew; General Gholam-Ali Oveissi; former Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar; regime critic Reza Mazlouman in France; Iranian Kurdish opposition leaders in Austria and Germany and Kazem Rajavi, representative of the People’s Mujahideen of Iran (MEK) to the United Nations in Switzerland. The practice of assassinating opponents abroad ended in the 1990s when the regime in Tehran tried to gain respectability and international acceptance. There are signs, however, that Iran is turning the clock back to the bad old days. The first ominous sign appeared in July when the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service confirm...

French president Emmanuel Macron, - A recent warning made by French President Emmanuel Macron that Paris will launch strikes if chemical weapons are used against civilians in the Syrian conflict, has led to discussions about Iran’s ballistic missiles, which are of no less importance. The new element in Macron’s Feb. 13 speech was his desire to organize an international meeting on Syria in the coming weeks on the eradication of “the ballistic activities in Syria that puts in danger all the regional powers.” He also said the use of Iranian-linked missiles in Yemen and Syria needed to be addressed because they were a security problem for French allies. It was the first time Macron spoke about his country’s willingness to organize a meeting, “not necessarily in Paris” to discuss about Iran’s ballistic missiles. However, his desire to hold such a meeting surprised French diplomats. Several sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that concerned officials have not yet discussed t...

This execution is contrary to Iran's international commitments   France, August 16, 2017  -- France condemns the execution in Iran, on August 10, of Alireza Tajiki, a minor at the time of the events and at the time of his sentencing, and expresses its concerns about reports of the imminent execution of Mehdi Bohlouli, also sentenced to death when he was a juvenile. This execution is contrary to the international commitments that Iran itself has signed on to, particularly the international Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is also a step backward with respect to the positive developments we have seen on human rights in Iran, most notably the Iranian Parliament’s adoption of a law on August 13 limiting the scope of the death penalty. France reiterates its unwavering opposition to the death penalty throughout the world and in all circumstances. It encourages Iran to continue its efforts and to establish a moratorium with a view to its abolition.

Main building gov.uk UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office,  29 July 2017 Iran’s space launch vehicle inconsistent with UNSCR 2231 With its latest launch of a Simorgh space launch vehicle on 27 July, Iran has again demonstrated activity inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231. We condemn this action. This resolution calls upon Iran to not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such technology like this launch. Space launch vehicles use technologies that are closely related to those of ballistic missile development, in particular to those of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. This step follows missile launches into Syria on 18 June and the test of a medium range ballistic missile on 4th July. Iran’s programme to develop ballistic missiles continues to be inconsistent with UNSCR 2231 and has a destabilising impact in the region. We call on Iran not to co...