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Newsweek
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Did Mahsa Amini Die in Vain?
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Thousands of young women have risked their lives in the streets of Iran for what too many Americans take for granted: freedom. Those streets may once again become the battleground for Iran's future. The United States' breathtaking strike on Iran's nuclear program, in coordination with Israel, may have opened the door to what some hope will become the liberation of the Iranian people. It was a moment that seized the world's attention and reasserted America's role as a global superpower. Mahsa Amini became the symbol of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement when she died in a Tehran hospital in 2022, after being detained by Iran's morality police for allegedly violating the country's hijab laws. Her suspicious death sparked a wave of nationwide protests led by women and girls, igniting a global movement. Whether Amini's tragic death becomes a turning point depends on what comes next. Exiled Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi called on the broad resistance of women to return to the streets, using the social media platform X to mobilize action. A photo of Mahsa Amini is displayed during a protest against the current leaders of Iran outside of the United Nations on September 24, 2024, in New York City. A photo of Mahsa Amini is displayed during a protest against the current leaders of Iran outside of the United Nations on September 24, 2024, in New York momentum of this moment, years in the making, is fueled in part by Israel's military campaign, which has significantly weakened the Iranian regime's strategic infrastructure. The stated goal is to dismantle Iran's capacity to develop nuclear weapons. Still, the long-awaited opportunity for regime change could backfire. If mishandled, it risks unleashing a wave of mass executions and plunging Iran—and the rest of the world—into even greater danger than before the first bombs fell on what was once the Persian Empire. Supporters argue that Israel's campaign to eliminate Iran's nuclear facilities—including enrichment plants, missile bases, research centers, infrastructure, and oil refineries—is a justified national security measure. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly vowed to destroy the state of Israel and bring an end to Western civilization. Israel has called on civilians to evacuate Tehran ahead of further strikes, a step it claims demonstrates its concern for noncombatants. The Israeli army has framed this as a moral act—one few militaries would consider in the midst of war. Yet, as Tehran empties, the voices of women like Mahsa Amini—those who would champion freedom—are also disappearing. The objectives of this war cannot be viewed in isolation. Experts warn that Iran's current regime could be replaced by one even more repressive and hostile to the international order. Regime change must ultimately come from within. Even Pahlavi has emphasized that he does not seek power for himself, but believes the Iranian people must determine their future through elections. "Help us isolate the regime," he told Newsweek. "Help us elevate the cause of freedom." The New Iran, a prominent opposition group, has voiced alarm about the risks of the current moment. Its founder, Iman Foroutan, recently sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of the dangers of mixed messaging. "We are gravely concerned about a potential resurgence of one of the regime's most brutal tactics: The summary execution of political prisoners," Foroutan wrote. He cited reports from June 16 that at least 15 prisoners may have been executed in Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah. The following day, he said, inmates at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison were being segregated, raising fears of an impending wave of executions behind closed doors. A nuclear-free Iran does not automatically mean the regime is finished. A decade from now, without political transformation, the world could find itself facing the same crisis again. If Israel truly supports the Iranian people, it must ensure they can participate in demonstrations that could shape the future of their country. The United States should do more to empower Iranians to determine their destiny. Mixed messages from Israel are undermining this cause. The Jewish state must issue clear and consistent guidance that supports the Iranian people's struggle for liberty. The West cannot afford to ignore a potential wave of executions. Iran has a long and bloody record of silencing dissent through mass killings. Iranians today are trapped between a sadistic regime and a war Israel started—with U.S. backing—to secure global security. That war may be necessary, even laudable, but it must not leave the Iranian people behind. They deserve the same freedom and safety that Israelis and Americans are fighting to preserve. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu must remain strategic, unified, and consistent in their message. Only strength—and moral clarity—will drive real change. If this moment is to mean anything, it must be a fight not just for security, but for woman, life, and freedom—to ensure that Mahsa Amini did not die in vain. Felice Friedson is president and CEO of The Media Line, a U.S.-based news agency, and founder of the Press and Policy Student Program, the Mideast Press Club, and the Women's Empowerment Program. She reports from Jerusalem and can be reached at ffriedson@ The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Green Card Holder Detained by ICE for Over 4 Months After Making Wrong Turn
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Milad Aspari, a green card holder from Iran, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) after mistakenly crossing into Canada and was arrested upon reentry. Advocates warn that his potential deportation to Iran could endanger his life, given his Kurdish identity. Newsweek reached out to Aspari's attorney, ICE, and USCIS for comment via email on Thursday. Why It Matters Aspari's detention comes amid an immigration crackdown by the Trump administration and inflamed U.S. relations with Iran. His legal team argues that his Kurdish ethnic and religious minority identity will complicate his security matters even more after President Donald Trump struck three of the country's nuclear sites, Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz, on Saturday. Iran later struck a U.S. base in Qatar. The Trump administration has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. In addition to people residing in the country illegally, immigrants with valid documentation, including green cards and visas, have been detained and face legal jeopardy. Many people have been deported as a result of Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which grants the president authority to deport noncitizens without appearing before a judge, among other wartime authorities. What To Know On February 20, Aspari was arrested by ICE officials after he and his work team, who were working just two miles from the Canadian border, accidentally turned into Canada for a few miles due to construction and road closures. As they turned back into the U.S., Aspari was taken into custody. He is currently being held at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. Aspari is a green card holder who is the father of a U.S. citizen daughter. His girlfriend, Ruth, whose last name is protected for security reasons, told Seattle news station KING 5 that Aspari left Iran due to religious and political persecution. His lawyer has filed an asylum claim. Around 10 percent of the population in Iran identifies as Kurdish, roughly between 8 and 12 million people. The ethnic and religious minority has a history of being persecuted in Iran. On September 16, 2022, a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa (Jina) Amini, died in police custody, with many speculating she was killed by the country's morality police. She was arrested for a dress code violation, a common arrest for women in Iran. The suspicious circumstances of her death sparked protests across the country and world, branded as the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington, where Milad Aspari is being detained. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington, where Milad Aspari is being detained. JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images Aspari's lawyer told KING 5 that a previous assault conviction and a violation of a no-contact order are the reasons his client is still being held in detention. The outlet reported that the no-contact order has been dismissed. Ruth previously stated that the no-contact order was related to a verbal argument between the couple three years ago. Aspari was booked over it and later signed paperwork that he didn't understand due to language barriers, Ruth told KING 5. Their daughter appeared at the court hearing on Wednesday, when the judge ruled to postpone the next hearing for several months. The Department of Homeland Security arrested 11 Iranian nationals earlier this week amid tensions with Iran. What People Are Saying Aspari's girlfriend Ruth told KING 5 News: "If he goes back to Iran, they're going to kill him for sure because of religion." A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Newsweek on June 25, regarding a different case: "Possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right; and under our nation's laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused. In addition to immigration removal proceedings, lawful permanent residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention." Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said in a June 24 press release about the arrest of 11 Iranian nationals: "Under Secretary [Kristi] Noem, DHS has been full throttle on identifying and arresting known or suspected terrorists and violent extremists that illegally entered this country, came in through Biden's fraudulent parole programs or otherwise. "We have been saying we are getting the worst of the worst out—and we are. We don't wait until a military operation to execute; we proactively deliver on President Trump's mandate to secure the homeland." What Happens Next Aspari's next hearing is expected to take place on July 8.
Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Where Iran Goes From Here
As Israeli missiles struck Iranian territory and Tehran fired back, the Middle East veered closer to a full-blown regional war. For the first time since the 1980s, the Islamic Republic faced a direct military assault from another regional power that targeted not only its military assets, but the symbolic and political heart of the regime itself. Today, that war is paused under a tenuous ceasefire, and despite the hopes and near hysterical levels of speculation, the regime remains in power. Iran's rulers may have survived this round, but their legitimacy is more fragile than ever. A tightening of its grip at home and the launching of internal purges to root out alleged Israeli collaborators is certainly on the horizon, if not already underway. The leadership will try to showcase its military resilience but underneath lies a deepening crisis and serious governance challenges remain. While Iranians demonstrated unity against the unprecedented Israeli and U.S. strikes, the war raised urgent questions about the regime's survival and Iran's evolution. The immediate trigger was military. On June 12, Israel launched strikes deep into Iranian territory, followed by U.S. attacks on June 22 targeting nuclear sites. The Trump Administration framed the operation as a necessary step to 'permanently eliminate' Iran's weapons capabilities. In typical fashion, Trump followed up the strike with a promise to 'Make Iran Great Again,' implying that regime change was the goal. But on June 24, Trump reversed course and announced a cease-fire. The terms are vague and the enforcement mechanism unclear. What is clear, however, is that Iran's political and military infrastructure remains largely intact. The idea that a decades-old regime could be brought down from an Israeli aerial campaign without boots on the ground or domestic support has once again proven to be fantasy. The Islamic Republic is not a fragile dictatorship held together by a single man. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's health has long been the subject of conjecture, but the regime has built-in mechanisms for succession. The Revolutionary Guards remain powerful, deeply embedded, and invested in the system—if not their own survival. Yet survival is not strength. The war exposed a regime unable to protect its own cities or citizens from foreign attack. The Islamic Republic is more isolated and heavily sanctioned. It has spent decades portraying itself as a guardian of sovereignty, but its projection of power and defense strategy has proved hollow. That failure has opened new space not just for criticism, but for imagination. For years, Iranians have mobilized to protest what they don't want: clerical rule, corruption, and repression. But in this moment of crisis, a more difficult and essential question of what Iranians want and who gets to decide is resurfacing. That answer cannot come from exiled monarchs or foreign leaders. It must come from within. The Woman, Life, Freedom protests of 2022 offered a glimpse, as the most diverse and widespread protests in Iran's modern history. The Iranian diaspora responded with unprecedented energy, organizing rallies and proposing blueprints for a post-Islamic Republic transition. But much of that momentum faltered, in part due to the re-entry of Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former Shah, who is again echoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nentayahu in his call for Iranians to 'rise up.' The path forward doesn't lie in restoring monarchy, nor in a foreign-brokered government-in-exile. It lies in the hard, deliberate work of building a representative system that reflects and includes the full spectrum of Iranian society across ethnic, religious, regional, and gender lines. It means prioritizing transitional justice over revenge, and institutions over personalities. Iranians know the perils of externally driven regime change. In 1953, a U.S.- and U.K.-backed coup toppled the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, restoring the Shah and burying Iran's early experiment in parliamentary democracy. In 1979, a revolution for freedom was hijacked by a theocratic elite. In both cases, Iranians lost control of their future to opportunists who promised salvation and delivered repression. Iranians have also long feared the prospect of a Syrian-style civil war, Libyan-style state collapse, or foreign intervention masked as liberation. These anxieties are not merely historical abstractions or distant lessons drawn from the broader Middle East. They are actively reinforced by the country's ongoing experience of international sanctions and economic isolation. Decades of sweeping sanctions have eroded the economic foundations of everyday life, hollowed out state capacity, and left a broken social contract. The war may be on hold. But the reckoning is far from over. The Iranian state is bloodied but intact, and will certainly seek a way out, possibly through a Trump-led deal that secures its survival, curbs further Israeli attacks, and brings long-awaited sanctions relief. But any diplomatic resolution abroad must be matched by a reckoning at home. What's at stake is not just foreign policy but political agency. The challenge ahead for Iran is to imagine a future not built by strongmen or imagined by external actors, but on pluralism and new governance that derives its legitimacy from the people.
France 24
5 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Images and eyewitness accounts from Tehran's Evin Prison after an Israeli strike
It was around 1:30pm in Tehran on Monday when reports emerged of an explosion at Evin Prison, in the north of the Iranian capital. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar quickly posted video footage showing a prison door hit by a missile. The video was widely shared on social media, and while Saar did not specify the source of the video, other images from Tehran confirmed the strike. According to Iranian media, the attack not only struck the prison's main entrance but also damaged a prosecutor's office and two courts within Evin, one known as 'Kachouyi' in the northern part of the complex and another known as 'Moghaddasi' in the southern part. The two courts are well-known for prosecuting protesters and dissidents, and the prison is notorious for imprisoning thousands of Iranians, including protesters from the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement, university students, women activists, opposition figures, and artists. The explosions were so powerful that they reportedly shattered windows in sections 7 and 8 of the north wing of the prison. The FRANCE 24 Observers team geolocated these two videos. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz labelled Monday's attack as part of an 'unprecedented wave of strikes targeting key components of the Iranian regime, including internal repression facilities in the heart of the capital'. In addition to common criminals, Evin Prison is home to many political prisoners, including Narges Mohammad, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, as well as foreign detainees. 'All the windows are shattered' Abolfazl Ghadyani, a prominent critic of the Islamic regime who is incarcerated in Evin, described the aftermath of the attack in a phone call with his son. "All the windows are shattered, and the prison hospital is partially damaged," Ghadyani's son said his father told him. Ahmad Ghadyani added: "Does the Islamic Republic intend to keep all these political prisoners in custody? Many of them are ill, what kind of madness and villainy is this?" According to a former political prisoner with connections inside the prison, the women's ward of Evin Prison was severely damaged, but no prisoners in the ward were seriously injured. In addition to the prison, Katz's office said that Israeli jets also targeted regime-affiliated installations in Tehran, including the Basij headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), internal security command centres, and the symbolic 'Countdown to Israel's Destruction' clock in Palestine Square, according to Ynet News.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Skint ITV finds This Morning & Loose Women a BUDGET new home in ‘far cry from plush life stars are used to'
ITV Daytime has found a budget new home after it was savaged by cuts. The department is ditching its swanky 1 The Sun can reveal ITV Daytime has landed a deal with Covent Garden venue The Hospital Club The Sun can reveal bosses have landed a deal with Covent Garden venue The Hospital Club - which closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will all be filmed in the venue's basement of the four story building. A source said: "ITV are on a major budget saving mission and have landed a new deal to film ITV Daytime at what was The Hospital Club. "It's quite apt really as I'm sure they hope the move to the former hospital will breathe some life into their programme budgets. Read More on TV "All three of their main shows, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will be based there... in the basement where there's a state of the art studio." "The changes are needed to keep up with the ever evolving world of TV but it's a far cry from the plush life stars have become accustomed to at White City." An ITV source said: "We have always said that when the changes to our daytime schedule take place in 2026 that these programmes will find a new home. The new studio is not yet confirmed and when it is we will obviously communicate that news to our staff first" Speaking about the cuts last month, Loose Woman Most read in News TV She said on her YouTube channel: "What's been brutal, absolutely brutal, over the last week, honestly I feel tearful about it, is that hundreds of people... are going to be made redundant out of the blue, these are all the people behind the scenes that support us in every way." The shake up comes as streaming officially overtook cable and broadcast TV use in May. Kay Burley joins This Morning in TV return after departure from Sky News Some 44.8 percent of TV viewership was through the newer media platforms. It compares with 20.1 percent watching terrestrial TV — known as broadcast — and 24.1 percent tuning in to cable such as Sky. It is the first time streamers have surpassed the combined total of their rival categories.
