Iranian Parliamentary Deputy Apologizes To Mahsa Amini's Family
An Iranian parliamentary deputy has apologized to the parents of Mahsa Amini for statements he made about her 2022 death, which sparked Iran's Women, Life, Freedom protests.
Ahmad Ariainejad recently said in a television debate that Amini had "gone to hell" and fueled months of "riots."
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was arrested on September 13, 2022, by Iran's so-called morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. She died in custody days later.
The movement sparked by her death campaigned for an end to compulsory hijab laws and was brutally suppressed by the Iranian authorities.
In a subsequent video statement following the TV debate, Ariainejad said he had “unconsciously” used “inappropriate language” about Amini and asked her parents to accept his apology.
The deputy's comments prompted a reaction from Amini's parents on August 15 who addressed the deputy and the Iranian government, saying: "May your tongue be cut for sending an entire country to hell. You have not only been deprived of wisdom and understanding but haven’t even benefited from a modicum of shame.”
At the end of their message, Amini's parents said:"Our daughter's name, along with thousands of other innocent people, will forever be immortalized in the history of this country."
An Iranian parliamentary deputy has apologized to the parents of Mahsa Amini for statements he made about her 2022 death, which sparked Iran's Women, Life, Freedom protests.
Ahmad Ariainejad recently said in a television debate that Amini had "gone to hell" and fueled months of "riots."
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was arrested on September 13, 2022, by Iran's so-called morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. She died in custody days later.
The movement sparked by her death campaigned for an end to compulsory hijab laws and was brutally suppressed by the Iranian authorities.
In a subsequent video statement following the TV debate, Ariainejad said he had “unconsciously” used “inappropriate language” about Amini and asked her parents to accept his apology.
The deputy's comments prompted a reaction from Amini's parents on August 15 who addressed the deputy and the Iranian government, saying: "May your tongue be cut for sending an entire country to hell. You have not only been deprived of wisdom and understanding but haven’t even benefited from a modicum of shame.”
At the end of their message, Amini's parents said:"Our daughter's name, along with thousands of other innocent people, will forever be immortalized in the history of this country."
Hormuz Traffic Grinds To Near Halt Again As Talks Stall
Data showed that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed over the weekend as attacks continued in the important waterway and as talks stalled between Washington and Tehran on ways to end the crisis.
Shiptracking data from Kpler showed that five commodity vessels transited the strait on August 15, with none registered for August 16.
Kpler data showed that an empty Very Large Crude Carrier with its Automatic Identification System switched off and an Indian-flagged Very Large Gas Carrier used the Iranian route through the strait.
A small tanker holding Iranian fuel oil exited the waterway, data showed.
An attack last week on three vessels operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company was the latest incident helping to dissuade ships from attempting to transit the waterway.
Tehran has effectively blocked the strait following the US-Israeli air strikes against Iran beginning on February 28, although periodic agreements have allowed some vessels to transit. The agreements between the US and Iran have regularly collapsed, bringing on tit-for-tat air attacks in the region.
Washington is also maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports, saying that mission will last indefinitely.
Tehran has insisted that Washington meet Iran's conditions regarding the strait in order for shipping to resume. Prior to the war, some 20 percent of the world's crude oil and natural gas supplies transited the strait.
Iranian Parliamentary Deputy Apologizes To Mahsa Amini's Family
An Iranian parliamentary deputy has apologized to the parents of Mahsa Amini for statements he made about her 2022 death, which sparked Iran's Women, Life, Freedom protests.
Ahmad Ariainejad recently said in a television debate that Amini had "gone to hell" and fueled months of "riots."
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was arrested on September 13, 2022, by Iran's so-called morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. She died in custody days later.
The movement sparked by her death campaigned for an end to compulsory hijab laws and was brutally suppressed by the Iranian authorities.
In a subsequent video statement following the TV debate, Ariainejad said he had “unconsciously” used “inappropriate language” about Amini and asked her parents to accept his apology.
The deputy's comments prompted a reaction from Amini's parents on August 15 who addressed the deputy and the Iranian government, saying: "May your tongue be cut for sending an entire country to hell. You have not only been deprived of wisdom and understanding but haven’t even benefited from a modicum of shame.”
At the end of their message, Amini's parents said:"Our daughter's name, along with thousands of other innocent people, will forever be immortalized in the history of this country."
An Iranian parliamentary deputy has apologized to the parents of Mahsa Amini for statements he made about her 2022 death, which sparked Iran's Women, Life, Freedom protests.
Ahmad Ariainejad recently said in a television debate that Amini had "gone to hell" and fueled months of "riots."
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, was arrested on September 13, 2022, by Iran's so-called morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. She died in custody days later.
The movement sparked by her death campaigned for an end to compulsory hijab laws and was brutally suppressed by the Iranian authorities.
In a subsequent video statement following the TV debate, Ariainejad said he had “unconsciously” used “inappropriate language” about Amini and asked her parents to accept his apology.
The deputy's comments prompted a reaction from Amini's parents on August 15 who addressed the deputy and the Iranian government, saying: "May your tongue be cut for sending an entire country to hell. You have not only been deprived of wisdom and understanding but haven’t even benefited from a modicum of shame.”
At the end of their message, Amini's parents said:"Our daughter's name, along with thousands of other innocent people, will forever be immortalized in the history of this country."
Trump Welcomes Saudi, Turkey, Pakistan Defense Pact
US President Donald Trump said he was pleased by the recent signing of a defense agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan -- which the participants said was not aimed at Tehran but which comes amid attacks by Iran on Saudi and other Gulf Arab nations.
"Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement," he wrote on Truth Social August 16.
"It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way," he wrote, saying, "THIS IS A BIG, BOLD, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP."
The pact was signed on August 7 in Mecca and comes as the US-Israeli war with Iran has widened throughout the Middle East and includes attacks inside Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed Houthi rebel attacks in Yemen.
Participants in the agreement have said it is similar to NATO's Article 5, meaning that an attack on any member would be regarded as an attack on all. Pakistan has said it was possible Egypt and other nations could eventually join the pact.
The member nations are majority Sunni Muslim, while Iran is mostly Shi'ite. Saudi Arabia and Iran have long competed for religious, military, and political dominance in the region.
Iran Moves To Jail Those Who Speak To Foreign Media
Iran’s parliament approved a bill on August 16 that would criminalize interviews and other contact with foreign media outlets deemed “hostile” by the authorities, with offenders facing up to two years in prison.
The measure was approved by 183 lawmakers in the 290-seat parliament and would prohibit interviews, participation in discussions, or other communication with media described as American, Israeli, or funded by the United States or Israel.
Violations would carry a Grade 6 prison sentence, which under Iranian law ranges from more than six months to two years.
The bill would also criminalize sending videos, photographs, audio recordings, or other data to non-Iranian media outlets or people engaged in media activities outside the country.
Contact with other foreign media would require prior notification to the Intelligence Ministry through a government system, effectively requiring Iranians to inform the authorities before giving an interview.
The legislation names the Intelligence Ministry and the intelligence arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as the entities responsible for investigating alleged violations.
Iran already imposes sweeping restrictions on independent journalism and access to information. Reporters Without Borders ranks the country 177th out of 180 in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, citing arrests, surveillance, harassment, censorship, and heavy prison sentences targeting journalists.
Iran Demands Access To Qatar As Dispute Over Downed Pilots Escalates
- By Kian Sharifi
Iran has rejected Qatar's denial that it is holding three Iranian airmen, with Tehran demanding that Doha allow an Iranian Air Force expert team into the country to conduct an on-site investigation.
Mohammad Baqerzadeh, head of the Iranian Armed Forces committee tasked with searching for missing personnel, accused Qatari officials on August 16 of "repeated stalling and delays" that have prevented the fact-finding delegation from traveling to Qatar.
"Instead of denying the issue and creating obstacles on the path to truth-finding, the Qatari government should allow the expert and fact-finding team... to travel to Qatar," Baqerzadeh said.
The escalating dispute follows Iran's public claim earlier this week that three pilots, identified as Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Omran Behraveshian, were captured alive by Qatari forces after two Su-24 fighter-bombers crashed during a March mission against a US military base in Qatar.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry has denied holding any surviving pilots, maintaining that search-and-rescue teams recovered the remains of one pilot and that Tehran had ignored an April invitation to review search details.
In his latest statement, Baqerzadeh reiterated calls for the Red Cross to intervene urgently.
He also criticized neighboring Kuwait, accusing its government of similarly hiding information regarding the fate of four other detained Iranians.
Iran says the four are affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and were on a maritime patrol when they entered Kuwaiti waters in May because of a navigation problem. Kuwait says the men were suspected of planning hostile acts against the country.
Iran Executes Another Protester Amid Surge In Use Of Death Penalty
Iran has executed another person arrested during nationwide anti-government protests in January, the judiciary said on August 16.
Shahram Sadeqi was executed after a Revolutionary Court convicted him of carrying out an “operational action” benefiting Israel, the United States, and other groups deemed hostile by Tehran, according to the judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency.
Authorities accused Sadeqi of driving a car into police officers during protests in Karaj on January 8, injuring seven, before setting the vehicle on fire and fleeing. Mizan said Sadeqi initially denied involvement but later confessed.
No evidence or documentation has been published regarding how Sadeqi’s trial was conducted or how the case was handled.
Since the start of the war with the United States and Israel on February 28, Iran has witnessed a surge in executions of people human rights groups consider political prisoners -- from demonstrators to alleged members of banned groups and those convicted of spying.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said this month that he was alarmed by the rise in executions and death sentences in Iran and “that capital punishment continues to be used to instill fear among the population and suppress dissent.”
According to the latest data compiled by the Iran Human Rights group, more than 470 people have been executed in Iran so far this year, many of whom were sentenced to death in connection with the January protests.
Rights groups and international observers have raised concerns over the fairness of the proceedings, including allegations of coerced confessions and limited access to due process.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda and dpa
Qatar Denies Detaining Iranian Pilots After Iran Accuses Doha
Qatar denied on August 15 that it was holding three Iranian pilots after Tehran accused the country of detaining them after they went down during the early stages of the war in the Middle East.
“We categorically deny the claims circulating regarding the detention of Iranian pilots,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X, adding that Doha was “surprised” by what he called “misleading statements” amid diplomatic efforts to end the war in the region.
Al Ansari said that the pilots had violated Qatari airspace earlier this year and failed to respond to attempts to contact them. He added that rescue teams later found the remains of one of the pilots and that Qatar had contacted Iran to coordinate the handover.
According to Al Ansari, Tehran had yet to respond to an invitation to review details of the country’s search operations.
Earlier in the day, Iranian General Mohammad Bagherzadeh said that “three Iranian pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the war,” Fars news agency reported.
They “have been held by Qatari forces for six months,” he said in a letter addressed to the International Committee of the Red Cross, in which he called for their release, saying the pilots had not been allowed to meet or contact their families.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters.
US Promises 'Unprecedented' Economic Isolation Of Iran. What Could That Mean?
WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump’s administration is promising a new phase of economic pressure on Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggesting Washington will announce measures next week unlike anything previously used to isolate a country economically.
What those measures will be is unclear. But experts who spoke to RFE/RL said truly unprecedented action could mean moving beyond another round of sanctions against Iranian companies and targeting the international financial and commercial networks that have helped Tehran keep selling oil despite decades of US pressure.
That could include Chinese banks, yuan-denominated payments for Iranian oil, alternative payment systems, and the shipping, insurance, refining, and financial intermediaries behind the trade.
"Watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country," Bessent said in an August 13 interview with Newsmax. He said the measures would form part of a "one-two punch" alongside the continued blockade of Iran's ports.
Trump amplified the remarks the following day by sharing a Newsmax report on them on Truth Social.
The White House has provided few details. Asked on August 14 about the expected action, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said “there are more tools at our disposal that we can use to continue punishing Iran and crippling their economy, which is in a very weak spot as it is right now.
The administration says Iran is suffering from rising inflation, reduced energy revenues, poverty, and limited access to foreign currency. A Pentagon assessment cited by The Hill found that the first iteration of the US blockade, from April 13 to June 18, cost Iran about $4.8 billion in oil revenue.
The question now is where Washington can apply pressure that it has not already tried -- and whether the steps it takes can change Tehran’s calculus.
Read more here
Lebanon Says At Least 9 People Killed In Israeli Strikes
Lebanese authorities said Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on August 15 killed at least nine people, including three children, in what appeared to be the deadliest attack since cease-fire deals eased hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in early summer.
The Israeli military said its latest strikes in Lebanon were in response to cease-fire violations by Hezbollah, claiming that the militants had attacked Israeli forces “inside the agreed-upon security zone.”
However, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said civilians had been killed in the strikes, stressing that they were not “military targets” and urging Israel to halt what he called an “extremely dangerous” escalation.
Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, urged Beirut to halt “humiliating” negotiations with Israel after the strikes.
Both Israel and Lebanon frequently accuse each other of cease-fire violations. Israel has carried out strikes targeting Hezbollah militants in Lebanon since March 2, two days after the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, when Hezbollah forces opened fire in support of Tehran.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Yemen Government Says Houthi Strike On Red Sea Port Kills 4
Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Iran-aligned Houthi forces fired six ballistic missiles at the Red Sea port of Mokha on August 14, killing at least four civilians amid escalating hostilities in the country.
Government-aligned armed forces said the attack targeted a civilian facility as well as economic and maritime installations, killing a port security guard and wounding eight civilians. Two sailors were reported missing. A military source cited by the official Saba News Agency said four civilians were killed and several fishing boats caught fire.
The Houthis confirmed firing ballistic missiles but said they had targeted a military buildup of weapons and warships belonging to Saudi-backed forces in Mocha.
Separately, the Houthis said they targeted a Saudi Aramco facility in Najran, Saudi Arabia, with a drone. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities or Aramco.
The attacks come amid heightened regional tensions from the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in Yemen in 2015 at the head of a coalition supporting the internationally recognized government against the Houthis, who had seized the capital, Sanaa, the previous year. Major fighting largely subsided following a UN-brokered truce in 2022, but efforts to reach a lasting settlement have stalled.
The Houthis declared that they were imposing a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on July 20 and have threatened vessels using Saudi ports, disrupting the kingdom’s Red Sea oil exports and raising risks for shipping through the region.