Mauritius suggests it will help keep Iran at bay if Chagos deal finalized

Mohammad-Hossein Aghasi said Wednesday he informed Valizadeh of the court's widely expected decision to uphold the 10-year prison sentence during a prison visit, but "perhaps a retrial could open the blindfolded eyes of justice."

The sentence relates to charges of so-called collaboration with a hostile government.

Valizadeh worked for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Persian Service, known as Radio Farda, for 10 years before leaving the organization in November 2022.

After 14 years abroad he returned to Iran to visit his family in March, according to a post he made on X. He was later arrested in September and received the 10-year jail term.

Radio Farda reported after his arrest that people close to Valizadeh believe he walked into a "security trap" despite the assurances of authorities he would face no punishment.

"Ten years in prison cannot be the punishment for working in the media, even if it is opposition media," Valizadeh's lawyer tweeted. "The charge of propaganda against the Islamic Republic carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison."

He was arrested, sources cited by Voice of America said, for refusing to cooperate with the IRGC Intelligence Protection and the Ministry of Intelligence as well as for declining to express remorse for his journalistic work.

Valizadeh remains in Ward 209 of Evin Prison, a section run by the Ministry of Intelligence where he lacks access to basic amenities and visitation rights, according to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

International organizations, including Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have criticized Valizadeh’s detention and demanded his release.

The US State Department called his arrest unjust and described it as a violation of international law in December.

However, Valizadeh has in recent weeks criticized the Biden administration's State Department for its "lack of effective action" regarding his situation.

In a phone message from Evin Prison shared with Iran International, he said that after the Biden State Department issued a statement saying his arrest and conviction by the Islamic Republic was unlawful, it took no effective measures to win his release.

Speaking to ILNA, Mohammadreza Ghavam Nasiri said on Wednesday, "Smoking can lead to irreversible changes in respiratory cells, while air pollution, exacerbated by low-quality fuel, significantly impacts cancer incidence".

International sanctions on Iran, particularly those targeting the oil and energy sectors, have played a significant role in the production of low-quality gasoline within the country, the pollutants from which can cause a range of illnesses from cancer to cardiovascular disease.

Sanctions have restricted Iran's access to advanced refining technologies, equipment, and chemical additives required for producing high-quality fuels that meet international standards.

Air pollution remains a critical issue in Iran’s major cities, including Tehran and Ahvaz, where vehicle emissions and traffic congestion contribute to smog events.

Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi in December reported over 40,000 deaths in a year linked to pollution, mainly from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as cancer.

In January, Abbas Shahsavani, the head of the Air Health and Climate Change Group of the Ministry of Health, said that air pollution in Iran claimed the lives of over 30,000 people and cost the country an estimated $12 billion in last Iranian year, a 17% increase compared to the previous year, when 26,307 deaths were recorded.

Speaking at a conference titled Prospects of Regional and Global Developments in the Trump Era in Tehran, Zarif said, "I do not view the United States as an opportunity for Iran's foreign policy; I see it as an obstacle."

The event, hosted by the Institute for Iran-Eurasia Studies (IRAS), brought together diplomats and analysts to examine the challenges posed by Trump-era policies.

Zarif argued that US President Donald Trump's focus on reviving hard power through economic pressure—such as tariffs and visa restrictions—was emblematic of his administration's approach to global dominance.

He added that Trump divided countries into "smaller nations that must show loyalty and peer nations that do not." This dynamic, he suggested, “weakened the notion of stable alliances, replacing them with temporary, issue-based coalitions."

For decades, Iran has labeled the US its enemy, citing a history of sanctions, intervention, and regime-change attempts. The two nations broke diplomatic ties in 1980.

Trump’s maximum pressure campaign marked a peak in hostility, with severe sanctions targeting Iran's economy. Yet Tehran claims to have withstood these efforts, portraying its survival as a defeat of Washington's regional ambitions.

Zarif also addressed perceptions of Iran’s weakened state, refuting that it posed a greater nuclear threat. "They argue that military action is the only way to stop Iran," he said, but added that Trump’s flexibility might leave room for negotiations.

He said that based on Trump's recent statements, the new US president's mind is subject to change.

"Trump does not have a solidified perspective in this area, and depending on the circumstances he finds himself in at any given moment, he is willing to adjust some of his paradigms," he added.

The imported potatoes will be sold at a target price of about 30 US cents per kilogram, less than half of the current market prices, Akbar Fat’hi said on Wednesday.

The average income of an Iranian wage earner is about $150.

He anticipates the influx of imported and domestically stored potatoes will lead to price reductions in the coming days.

Fathi attributed the current high prices to increased exports and the off-season for domestic potato production. He also noted that further potato imports may be necessary if the market does not stabilize as expected.

The move follows recent reports of significant price increases on essential food items, with some activists saying the real inflation rate for basic necessities is far higher than official figures suggest.

Labor activist Faramarz Tofighi, speaking to ILNA, highlighted the rising cost of vegetables, including potatoes, making it difficult for workers to afford basic necessities.

He argued that the real inflation rate for essential goods is likely above 50-60%, significantly higher than official figures announced to be about 40%.

He added that many families will soon be unable to afford even red meat monthly. He also cited rising prices for bread, meat, dairy, and an 80% increase in egg prices over the past two months.

Hamidreza Hajibabaei, the senior lawmaker and former minister in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration, told the media that Tehran has no “enmity or war with America.”

“We are open to negotiations, but they must be fair,” he added.

Iranian officials repeatedly stress the need for fair negotiations, indicating that any demands must fall within the scope of what they are willing to accept.

During talks between the two sides a decade ago, Tehran strongly rejected the inclusion of non-nuclear issues, including its ballistic missile program and regional activities.

Prior to Hajibabaei's remarks, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who holds the highest authority in the Islamic Republic, cautioned top government officials to remain vigilant during any negotiations.

Several state-controlled media outlets and commentators interpreted this as a subtle signal of Khamenei’s approval for talks with the Trump administration.

In contrast, the ultra-hardliner Kayhan newspaper, with close ties to Khamenei’s office, sharply criticized the US for pressing maximalist demands on the Islamic Republic. According to Kayhan, these demands included imposing limits on its missile program, reducing its nuclear activities to what it described as a symbolic level, and prohibiting its interventions in the region.

Despite a rising number of Iranian officials and commentators, who are permitted to speak to the media, advocating for negotiations, Kayhan maintained that Tehran does not see an urgent need to negotiate the lifting of sanctions.

The country’s economic crisis, which has been ongoing for some time, has deepened in recent months, with the national currency losing more than half of its value and Iran facing severe shortages.

"The discussion of negotiations with the US, which will certainly lead nowhere, causes powerful governments that have formed the opposing front against the US to doubt Iran's seriousness in economic and multilateral cooperation," Kayhan's analysis concluded, potentially hinting at a partnership deal Tehran recently formalized with Moscow. "As a result, they may refrain from entering major partnerships with the Islamic Republic. Therefore, negotiating with the US is a lose-lose game for us and a win-win for the US."