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The Latest Breaking News from Assadollah Assadi

US, Allies Must Take Action In Dealing With Iran, Ukraine

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a Senate hearing in early April that Washington's failure to honor its commitment to Kyiv would simply embolden other autocratic rulers who are America's enemies.

International Business Times

Iran blasts France for hosting opposition meeting

Iran's foreign ministry strongly criticised France, Monday, for hosting a meeting of an exiled Iranian opposition group that Tehran considers a "terrorist" organisation.

Radio France Internationale

Three Europeans freed by Iran arrive home

BRUSSELS: One Dane and two Austrian-Iranian citizens released from detention by Tehran arrived in their home countries on Saturday, after the latest in a series of prisoner swaps.

Bangkok Post

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Paris bomb plot mastermind swapped with aid worker in Iran-Belgium deal

Belgium and Iran exchanged prisoners on Friday in a controversial move that saw an Iranian diplomat convicted of attempting to bomb exiles in France returning to Tehran bedecked in flowers while a visibly gaunt aid worker headed back to Brussels.

Radio France Internationale

Belgium, Iran conduct prisoner swap in Oman, freeing aid worker and diplomat convicted in bomb plot

Belgium and Iran have conducted a rare prisoner exchange in Oman

The Independent UK

Belgium aid worker freed in prisoner swap with Iranian diplomat jailed for bomb plot

Deal to release Olivier Vandecasteele in exchange for Assadollah Assadi raises concerns Tehran’s hostage diplomacy has been rewarded

The Guardian - UK

Belgian aid worker, Iranian diplomat freed in prisoner exchange

Iran freed Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele after almost 15 months in custody on Friday, in a prisoner exchange for Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who had been convicted of terrorism. Vandecasteele landed in Belgium late Friday after being repatriated in a military aircraft, according to images broadcast on television.

France 24

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Belgium says no deal reached to free jailed Iran diplomat in swap

Belgium said on Wednesday an Iranian diplomat jailed there for 20 years will not soon be released in a prisoner swap, apparently contradicting Iran's judiciary.

Reuters

Belgium Requests Iran Transfer Imprisoned Aid Worker

Belgium submitted a request to Iran on Tuesday that jailed aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele be sent back to his country, which has agreed to a prisoner transfer treaty with Iran. Belgian Vandecasteele was arrested on a visit to Iran in February 2022 and sentenced in January to 40 years in…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Belgium PM tells Iranian leader to free aid worker

BRUSSELS - Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Wednesday urged Iran's president to "immediately" set free an aid worker held by Tehran in a case denounced as hostage diplomacy.

Bangkok Post

Last chance for Belgium-Iran prisoner swap treaty that would free aid worker

Belgium's Constitutional Court on Wednesday started its final hearing on an extradition treaty with Iran that would allow the transfer of Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat who is accused of masterminding a bomb plot in Paris in 2018. But the treaty would also allow the release of Belgian aid worker…

Radio France Internationale

Protesters demand Iran free jailed Belgian aid worker

Brussels (AFP) - Hundreds of demonstrators on Sunday urged Belgium to push harder to secure the release of aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, held by Iran in a case decried as "hostage diplomacy".

AFP

Iran sentences Belgian aid worker to 40 years in prison, 74 lashes

A court in Tehran has sentenced a Belgian aid worker to four decades in prison and 74 lashes after convicting him on espionage and smuggling charges.

Radio France Internationale

Brussels Urges Belgians to Quit Iran over Arrest Risk

Belgium's government called Sunday for Belgians in Iran to leave the country, mired in a violent crackdown on nationwide protests, because of the risk of arbitrary arrest and imprisonment. "All Belgian visitors, including (dual) nationals, are at high risk of arrest, arbitrary detention and unfair trial.

Asharq Al-Awsat

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AFP

Brussels urges Belgians to quit Iran over arrest risk

Brussels (AFP) - Belgium's government called Sunday for Belgians in Iran to leave the country, mired in a violent crackdown on nationwide protests, because of the risk of arbitrary arrest and imprisonment.

Radio France Internationale

Fate of Belgian aid worker jailed in Tehran linked to Iranian prisoner in Belgium

Iranian authorities have imposed a 28-year sentence on jailed Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, a spokesman for his family said. His fate is linked to that of an Iranian diplomat accused of masterminding a 2018 foiled bomb plot in Paris.

Asharq Al-Awsat

Iran Parliament to Discuss Belgium Prisoner Swap Treaty

Iran's parliament is to debate a prisoner exchange deal with Belgium, state media said on Monday, after Brussels approved the deal that may lead to the release of an Iranian diplomat jailed for planning to bomb a rally of an exiled opposition group. The official Iranian news agency IRNA said…

The Independent UK

Terror threat cancels Iranian opposition's summit in Albania

Iranian dissidents in Albania have canceled a summit following warning from local authorities on a possible terrorist threat

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Radio France Internationale

Belgium-Iran treaty clears the way for Paris attack suspect to return home

Belgian MPs have voted to ratify a fiercely criticised treaty allowing prisoner exchanges with Iran, potentially opening the way for an Iranian diplomat jailed on terrorism charges to return home.

Radio France Internationale

Belgium-Iran treaty clears the way for Paris attack suspect to return home

Belgian MPs voted on Wednesday to ratify a fiercely-criticised treaty allowing prisoner exchanges with Iran, potentially opening the way for an Iranian diplomat jailed on terrorism charges to return home.

Asharq Al-Awsat

Belgium Ratifies Iran Prisoner Swap Treaty

Belgian MPs voted Wednesday to ratify a fiercely-criticized treaty allowing prisoner exchanges with Iran, potentially opening the way for an Iranian diplomat jailed on terrorism charges to return home. After two days of rowdy debate, parliament voted by 79 to 41 to back the agreement.

Asharq Al-Awsat

Family of Belgian Held In Iran Pleas For His Release

The family of a Belgian aid worker being held in Iran, Olivier Vandecasteele, pleaded Monday for their government to do “everything necessary” to secure his release. Last week, Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne announced Olivier’s detention. This came in the wake of the parliament’s approval of a controversial prisoner-swap…

Asharq Al-Awsat

Belgium MPs Approve Iran Prisoner Swap Treaty in First Reading

Belgium's parliament on Wednesday approved a controversial prisoner-swap treaty with Iran in a first reading of a text that still has to be submitted to a full vote to be ratified. The treaty has been slammed by an Iranian dissident group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, as well…

Reuters

Belgium provisionally clears contentious Iran prisoner swap treaty

Belgian lawmakers gave initial clearance on Wednesday to a prisoner exchange treaty with Iran that could lead to the release of an Iranian diplomat convicted of planning to bomb a rally of an exiled opposition group.

Reuters

Belgium debates contentious prisoner swap treaty with Iran

Belgian lawmakers on Tuesday debated a prisoner exchange treaty with Tehran that an exiled Iranian group opposes and says will release the mastermind behind a plan to bomb one of its rallies.

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