Iran sentences another protester to death - rights group

Iran's exiled prince Reza Pahlavi, in an address to the Dutch parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, called for supporting the Iranian people’s struggle for democracy, describing it as an investment in the security of the Netherlands and the stability of Europe.

Pahlavi said a democratic Iran would end support for terrorism, stop supplying equipment to Russia’s war machine, help stabilize the region and become a partner for Europe in trade and investment.

“The Islamic Republic is no longer merely a challenge in the Middle East; it has become a threat to Europe and the world,” Pahlavi said, according to a copy of his speech published by his press office.

“Supporting the people of Iran is not merely a humanitarian gesture toward a distant country; it is an investment in the security of the Netherlands, the stability of Europe and a Middle East that exports trade, cooperation and prosperity instead of terrorism, instability and waves of refugees,” he said.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said those responsible for the killing of Ali Khamenei would be punished, adding that the “final step of revenge” would be realized through the “liberation of Jerusalem.”

In a message marking Khamenei’s funeral procession in Tehran, Ghalibaf said Iranians had spent the past four months chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” and demanding revenge against what he called “the killers of our martyred imam.”

“The aggressors against Islamic Iran and the killers of the martyrs of this land, especially the leader of the ummah, will pay for their actions,” he said.

Ghalibaf, who leads Iran's negotiations with the United States, said the struggle would continue through both military and diplomatic means, describing negotiations as part of Iran’s broader “civilizational” confrontation with what he called domineering powers.

The report said Lindsay Foreman had not received a medical checkup for about 10 days and was suffering from dizziness, body tremors, severe weakness and more than 14 kg of weight loss. Craig Foreman had lost about 16 kilograms, it added.

HRANA cited an informed source as saying the couple had recently been allowed phone contact with their lawyer but remained barred from speaking to their family, children and each other.

The source said pressure on the couple intensified after interviews with BBC World in which they discussed executions in Iran.

Craig and Lindsay Foreman were sentenced to 10 years in prison in February on espionage charges, which they deny.

The couple were first detained in the southeastern city of Kerman, where they spent 30 days in solitary confinement before being transferred to Tehran, the family has said, adding that, they had entered Iran with valid visas, a licensed guide and a cleared itinerary.

Almost a third of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz in recent days used a route along Oman’s coast, CNN reported, citing maritime tracking agency MarineTraffic.

One hundred and eight vessels crossed the strait from Friday through Sunday, the report said. Of those, 30 vessels, including crude and LPG tankers, followed the Omani route.

Vessel traffic through the channel, which carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied gas supplies, was highest on Friday, with 43 crossings. Saturday and Sunday saw 34 and 31 crossings respectively.

Washington is “close to maybe making a deal” with Iran, US President Donald Trump said on Monday, but warned the United States would “finish the job” if no agreement is reached, adding that it could destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants within hours.

“We’re either going to make a deal or we’re going to finish the job,” Trump said. “And it won’t be tough to finish the job.”

Trump said he would rather reach an agreement because he did not want to affect Iran’s population.

“I’d rather make a deal because I don’t want to affect 91 million people,” he said. “We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply.”