Critics Denounce Iran-Belgium Prisoner Swap Treaty

The detention could be another example of the often-used Iranian tactic of imprisoning foreigners as hostages to exchange them with certain Iranians jailed in Western countries.

A draft law proposed by the Belgian government to the parliament could put the seal of approval on an agreement with Iran, which could lead to the release of Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat serving a 20-year prison sentence in Belgium for planning a terror attack in Paris 4 years ago.

Iran’s security forces have detained Olivier Vandecasteele, 41, an aid worker who has served in various international humanitarian organizations since at least 2006, including, Médecins du Monde, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Relief International.

Vandecasteele worked in India, Afghanistan, and Mali and later became the director of NRC’s Iran operations in 2015 and assumed the same position with Relief International in Iran in 2020. He played an important role during the height of the Covid pandemic in Iran, distributing humanitarian aid throughout the country.

In July 2021, Relief International ended its relationship with Vandecasteele. In an email to Iran International, Relief International said it is not aware of Vandecasteele’s detention in Iran, despite information at our disposal showing that officials of the aid organization were informed of his arrest.

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On July 2, an informed source had told Iran International that at least two Belgian citizens are currently in prison in Iran. One of the two is apparently an Iranian-Belgian professor from Leuven University, but the identity of the second prisoner was unclear until further investigation revealed it was Olivier Vandecasteele.

In what appeared to be internal organizational issues, he was put aside as a manager of Relief International last year and he returned to Europe. But an informed source told Iran International’s Fardad Farahzad that this could have resulted from pressures by Iran’s interior ministry’s foreign citizens’ bureau.

Vandecasteele, however, later returned to Iran on a tourist visa to visit a friend. It is possible that his return to Iran was an arranged trap by Iranian intelligence to detain and exchange him with Assadi.

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The agreement to allow Iranian convicts serving their prison terms in Belgium to return to Iran and presumably serve their remaining sentences there has now opened a real chance that Assadi, convicted of terrorism, will be allowed to go back and be received as a hero, as some Belgian media and politicians have pointed out.

It is unclear if strong objections to the government bill by foreign figures, the opposition and other lawmakers in Belgium will stop its approval. A parliamentary committee is set to start debating the bill on July 5.

In a letter to president of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Eliane Tillieux, Former FBI Director Louis J. Freeh, former National Security Advisor James L. Jones and seven other US dignitaries denounced the proposed Belgian-Iranian prisoner transfer treaty.

In a video message Friday, Darya Safai, a member of the Belgian Parliament of Iranian descent, protested to the government’s decision to rush a prisoner exchange treaty with Iran.

Safai told Iran International that the bill does not exclude those in prison for terrorist activities and will pave the way for the release of Iranians involved in terrorism in Belgium. “My life and that of my husband, children, and so many others are in danger.”

Another Belgian lawmaker, Michael Freilich, has also questioned the government's “urgent” prisoner exchange plans. “Why does this all have to be so fast?” he asked the Parliament. “I strongly oppose any deal to release convicted terrorists from jail.”

Relief International was established by an American-Iranian, Farshad Rastegar, after the devastating Bam earthquake in Iran that killed 26,000 people on December 26, 2003.

The ministry categorized the Iranian territory as “red” on its travel advisory map on Monday which means it formally advised French and dual nationals against going to Iran regardless of the reason.

It also urged French nationals visiting the country now to be highly vigilant and to take the necessary precautions to ensure their safety. “They are strongly advised to limit their movements within the country, to imperatively avoid any type of gathering and to make themselves known to the French Embassy in Tehran,” the notice said.

The ministry said the French – including people making a simple tourist visit -- are exposed to a high risk of arrest, arbitrary detention and unfair trial, adding that “in the event of arrest or detention, respect for fundamental rights and personal security are not guaranteed.”

It added that the ability of the French Embassy in Tehran to provide consular protection for nationals arrested or detained in Iran is very limited, and in the case of French-Iranian nationals, consular visits are not authorized as Iran does not recognize dual nationality.

In June, Sweden and Canada also advised their citizens against all travel to the Islamic Republic due to security risks to foreigners as well as the volatile security situation and the regional threat of terrorism.

In the past decade, Iran's Revolutionary Guards have arrested dozens of dual nationals and foreigners, mostly on unproven allegations of espionage in what human rights organizations have said is essentially hostage taking.

Ahmed Hoshyar said on Monday that the airport prevented the unauthorized cargo plane -- en route from Iran’s northwestern city of Orumiyeh – because it had not provided details about its crew, cargo and time of arrival.

According to Hoshyar, Iranian authorities had been informed about the necessary protocols before landing, including having a representative and renting an office at the airport as well as providing necessary data about the plane.

Pouya Air contacted Erbil’s authorities about the flight four days ago, but the company failed to fulfill the protocols, he said, adding that “the plane did not have any of the requirements needed for landing.”

Pouya Air is identified as an alias for Iranian airline Yas Air, under US terrorism sanctions since March 2012 for acting on behalf of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s Quds (Qods) force (IRGC-QF) for transporting illicit cargo, including weapons, to Iran’s clients in the region. The company began operations in 2000 as Qeshm Air but changed its name to Pars Air in 2006 and later to Yas Air in 2008, before it changed its name again to Pouya Air in late 2012.

Erbil International Airport, which houses personnel from the global coalition and US forces, has on many occasions been targeted by rocket and drone attacks, reportedly blamed on Iran-backed militias.

In June, a bomb-laden drone detonated in Erbil's outskirts and in April IRGC artillery fire hit an area north of Erbil, targeting what Iranian state television described as terrorist bases.

Abed Maleki, a senior member of the city’s governor-general’s office, announced the closures Sunday evening, and cautioned vulnerable residents to take precautions. Banks and the Tehran Stock Exchange would remain open, he added. 

According to reports, several cities from the North Khorasan province to the southwestern Khuzestan province are also shut down, with many citizens decrying the government’s discrimination in announcing the closures. The level of pollution is much higher in eastern and southern cities but the government rarely shuts down schools and businesses. 

Tehran was logged as the most polluted city in the world in April with air quality hazardous and visibility very low largely due to the very high level of airborne particles. The capital’s pollution is mainly blamed on poor government policies, desertification and low water levels, as well as climate change that has intensified sandstorms.

Since mid-March, massive dust storms have hit various parts of the country, causing a health crisis that has forced the government to shut down schools and government offices in some cities and cancel outdoor sporting events on multiple occasions. 

Dust storms, originating in both Iran and neighboring countries, have also increased markedly in recent years in several Iranian provinces, notably Khuzestan, Kermanshah, and Sistan-Baluchestan. 

Moreover, the usage of highly polluting diesel and mazut fuels in power plants jumped in Iran in 2021 on top of increases in previous years.

Citing a report by the mayor, Habib Kashani said on Sunday that Tehran municipality currently faces a deficit of 60 trillion rials or about $200 million only for the first two months of the Iranian year, which started on March 21. 

He predicted that the municipality will be forced to sell other properties, including Shahr-e Aftab (Sun City) Fairground complex -- covering an area of 120,000 square meters – and Hamshahri media institute that publishes one of the biggest national Persian-language dailies as well as dozens of other publications.

Kashani warned that it will be impossible to implement the plans and projects of the municipality if no income is earned in this critical period of time. 

Nasser Amani, another member of the City Council, criticized the mayor’s performance, saying that Alireza Zakani's report did not provide any details about what he had done to overcome the dire financial situation.

Since his controversial selection as the mayor of Tehran, the hardliner politician has frequently been criticized by the media and opponents for his poor performance, disorderly hirings, and nepotism. He is particularly accused of appointing individuals from his circle of friends and family such as the appointment of his son-in-law as his adviser.