Iranian Court Calls for Repatriation of MEK Members from France

Kanaani, who was the first official from Tehran to comment on Tuesday's military action, referred to Israel as "the main threat to international peace and security" and blamed the United States for the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, which started when Iran-backed Hamas killed over 1,200 civilians and took 250 hostages on October 7.

Israel has been requesting civilians in Rafah to evacuate since Monday to attack Hamas' infrastructure in the southern town, which it believes to be the organization's last stronghold. According to Israel, tunnels have been discovered in Rafah that allow for the entry of weapons and other supplies for Hamas and other groups.

However, the UN and US have cautioned that an assault on the city could have disastrous humanitarian ramifications, home to over a million Palestinian refugees.

According to Hamas numbers, over 34,000 Gazans in the strip have been killed in Israel's retaliatory attacks after the October 7 invasion.

Hamas on Monday said it had accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar - despite Israel's indication that it would not accept the proposal as it stood. Hamas has been calling for a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails, most on terror charges. Israel's war aims have continued to be that it will not withdraw until Hamas is destroyed and the remaining 133 hostages taken from Israel on October 7 are freed.

Since Tuesday, the Israeli military has taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The Rafah crossing is a critical humanitarian route, which is of particular importance to Egypt. The country is anxious to avoid a mass migration of Palestinians into its Sinai desert in case of a major offensive into the city.

With a permanent presence at the crossing, Israel could control all traffic, including aid shipments. It could act as a base for further attacks against the tunnels across the border from which Hamas obtains its supplies.

Iran has long funded, armed and trained Hamas; the US has named Iran as the world's biggest state sponsor of terror. As the Hamas attack took place on October 7, Tehran's top officials and government media celebrated the incident and organized street celebrations immediately. Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader, revealed in March 2022 that the Islamic Republic paid Hamas $70 million to aid it in developing missiles and defense systems and US government research under the Trump administration showed Iran funding Hamas to the tune of $100m annually.

He claimed that the latest moves were a victory, showing the "field strength" of the Palestinian terror group, designated by countries including the UK, after a phone call with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh.

Despite Hamas's agreement to the ceasefire terms set forth by the mediators, Egypt and Qatar, along with the US, the Israeli government said the terms did not meet its demands, leading to ongoing Israeli military actions in Rafah, south Gaza, where the remaining four battalions of Hamas are based, along with remnants of other disbanded battalions. Rafah has also become a shelter for over a million displaced Palestinians amid the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office claimed the Hamas proposal was inadequate from Israel's perspective but confirmed that Israel would send a delegation to continue negotiations.

From the outset, Israel's war aims have been to rescue the remaining 133 hostages held in Gaza, of over 250 taken captive on October 7. The Prime Minister has also made it clear that there will be no withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas is dismantled in its entirety, to ensure that the atrocities of October 7, when 1,200 mostly civilians were murdered, can never happen again. Over 100,000 Israelis were displaced after the day now known as the Black Sabbath, the deadliest single day for Jews since the Holocaust.

Hamas is demanding the total withdrawal of troops in addition to the release of thousands of prisoners in Israeli prisons, most incarcerated on terror charges, in addition to the unconditional return of Gazans to the north of the strip without security checks, which Israel will not accept.

The General Directorate of Employment of Foreign Nationals of the Ministry of Labor announced the new directive on Tuesday, targeting employers who utilize foreign labor without the requisite permits.

Iran has experienced a significant influx of foreign workers since the 1980s, attributed mainly to regional conflicts and economic instability in neighboring countries. Despite existing laws aimed at penalizing unlawful employment practices, these have proven insufficient in curbing the reliance on unauthorized foreign labor, thus failing to bolster the employment of domestic job seekers.

Currently, official estimates indicate that about three million foreign nationals are employed illegally within the country. Afghans make up the majority of the foreign workforce, with numbers potentially as high as 10 million, particularly following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. The surge has ignited debate and controversy, with some media and political figures suggesting that the increase is being facilitated by certain authorities, thereby posing a potential threat to national security.

The growing presence of Afghan nationals has also led to increased anti-Afghan sentiment across Iran, not least as domestic unemployment skyrockets. In the past year, nationalistic campaigns have gained momentum, advocating for the expulsion of all Afghan nationals from Iran. 

The award will be presented during an upcoming event, according to the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy.

Iran International is receiving the award almost 45 days after its TV host Pouria Zeraati was stabbed while leaving his London residence for work. He survived the attack with leg injuries and decided to return to work after a couple of days in the hospital. As of yet, it is unclear who the attackers were and what their motives were. But it wasn't long after the news broke that fingers were pointed at the Iranian regime, given the Islamic Republic's history of plotting against dissidents as well as foreign officials.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Minister David Cameron condemned the attack on him, respectively, which happened following multiple threats from Iranian intelligence aimed at journalists of Iran International.

The Iranian government has long threatened Iran International, with several journalists at the network facing imminent attacks in the years 2022 and 2023. In March, a leaked document revealed that Tehran’s Revolutionary Court convicted 44 foreign-based journalists and media activists in absentia two years ago over the allegation of “propaganda against the government,” which included Iran International's Aliasghar Ramezanpour.

Last year, Iran International's offices were temporarily relocated from London to Washington after threats escalated to the point where domestic security services were unable to ensure the safety of the employees. Just before the incident, Iran's intelligence minister had branded Iran International a terrorist organization, paving the way for all sorts of action against the broadcaster and its journalists.

According to Freedom House, Iran has one of the worst records for press freedom in the world, with more than 70 journalists arrested since the 2022 uprising alone. Among those were the two women who first reported the arrest and subsequent death of Mahsa Amini, whose death in morality police custody sparked the most significant uprising since the Islamic Republic foundation. Figures suggest many more have been arrested amid Iran's secretive regime.

The honor for Iran International will take place at the summit which raises awareness about urgent human rights situations that require global action and provides a platform for human rights activists, former political prisoners, and heroes to give testimony about their struggles for democracy and freedom. It aims to build an international community that can challenge dictatorships.

Hadi Kasaeizadeh, editor-in-chief of Meydan-e Azadi Monthly, and Asal Dadashloo are accused of disseminating content against the regime.

A BBC World report recently revealed the existence of a "highly confidential" document, suggesting that 16-year-old Shakarami was sexually assaulted and murdered by Iranian security forces during the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising.

In response to the BBC's revelations, Iran's judiciary has charged multiple journalists and media activists who disseminated the information, accusing them of broadcasting "false, insulting, content against the regime" in cyberspace.

Journalists Marzieh Mahmoudi and Mohammad Parsi are also facing charges linked to their reporting on Shakarami’s death.

The journalists are part of a larger group of media professionals targeted by the government. Since the 2022 protests, at least 79 journalists have been arrested, including two women who initially reported on the arrest and death of Mahsa Amini. Reports suggest that the number could be as high as 100.

Shakarami’s death, characterized by head injuries, recalls the murder of Kurdish-Iranian Mahsa Amini in September 2022, which ignited a nationwide uprising.

Arrested by morality police for improperly wearing her hijab, Amini's death has led to increased repression by Iran's security forces as they attempt to suppress dissent and unrest, alongside the tightening of hijab laws as the country continues to rebel against the state's Islamic dress code.