Exclusive: Iran Holding Belgian Man As Brussels Mulls Prisoner Exchange

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.

They focused on opportunities for greater cooperation on regional issues in a phone call, in which Blinken also thanked Al Thani for Qatar’s continued assistance with Iran and Afghanistan diplomacy, as well as Qatar’s announcement of an additional $60 million to support the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The American diplomat lauded Qatar’s efforts in helping to continue efforts for attaining a mutual return to full implementation of the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in particular for Doha hosting indirect talks between Tehran and Washington.

Brokered by the European Union, the two-day talks in the Qatari capital last week were aimed at breaking a months-long impasse in negotiations to restore the JCPOA, but ended without any tangible results.

Tehran blames Washington’s inflexibility to guarantee Iran’s economic benefit under the deal for lack of progress in the proximity talks, while US officials say, "The Iranians have not demonstrated any sense of urgency, raised old issues that have been settled for months.”

In a phone call with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said, “The US side attended talks in Doha without an approach based on initiative and progress. Our assessment of Doha talks is positive but we should see how the US wants to seize this chance for diplomacy.”

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri-Kani paid an unannounced visit to Russia after Doha talks.