Iran

Iranian court sentences pop star Tataloo to death for blasphemy

By Sabiu Abdullahi

An Iranian court has reportedly sentenced Amir Hossein Maghsoudloo, popularly known as Tataloo, to death for blasphemy following an appeal.

Local media revealed that the decision came after the prosecutor objected to an earlier five-year prison sentence.

“The supreme court accepted the prosecutor’s objection,” reported Etemad, a reformist newspaper, on Sunday.

According to the paper, the case was reopened, and the defendant was subsequently sentenced to death for “insulting the prophet,” referring to Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

The ruling, however, is not final and may still be appealed, according to reports.

Tataloo, a 37-year-old underground musician who blends rap, pop, and R&B, had been living in Istanbul since 2018.

He was extradited to Iran by Turkish authorities in December 2023 and has been in detention ever since.

The singer was also sentenced to 10 years for allegedly promoting “prostitution” and faced charges in other cases, including spreading “propaganda” against the Islamic Republic and sharing “obscene content.”

Tataloo, who is known for his extensive tattoos, was once embraced by conservative Iranian politicians to appeal to liberal-minded youth.

In 2017, he even participated in a televised meeting with Iran’s ultra-conservative president at the time, Ebrahim Raisi, who later died in a helicopter crash.

In 2015, Tataloo released a song supporting Iran’s nuclear programme, which was part of a deal to dismantle it in exchange for sanctions relief.

This agreement, however, fell apart in 2018 during the presidency of Donald Trump.

Iran warns of stronger retaliation if Israel responds to missile attack

By Uzair Adam

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed on Wednesday that while Iran is not seeking war, it will deliver a stronger response if Israel retaliates for the recent missile attack.

Speaking alongside Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in Doha, Pezeshkian emphasized that Israel is pushing the region into conflict.

“We are not looking for war, but if Israel reacts, we will respond even more forcefully,” Pezeshkian stated, holding Israel accountable for escalating tensions.

The remarks follow Iran’s launch of about 200 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, towards Israel.

Although Israel intercepted most of the missiles, some damage was reported, including a school building, and two civilians sustained minor injuries from shrapnel.

Israeli military sources confirmed that some missiles landed near air force bases without causing significant damage.

Pezeshkian criticized Israel’s intentions, accusing it of creating instability in the region and called on the US and European nations to pressure Israel to halt its actions.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Emir also condemned Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Gaza, warning that the region was being pushed to the brink of disaster.

Qatar remains committed to brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Funeral procession of Raisi, entourage begins

By Uzair Adam Imam

Thousands of Iranians gathered in the streets on Tuesday to bid a final farewell to President Ebrahim Raisi and seven members of his entourage who lost their lives in a tragic helicopter crash.

The mournful procession began at a central square in the northwestern city of Tabriz, the destination Raisi was headed to when the helicopter went down on Sunday.

With somber faces and waving Iranian flags, the crowd paid their respects to the late president and his companions, carrying portraits of Raisi as they marched through the streets.

The funeral procession was a poignant display of national grief and solidarity, as Iranians came together to honor the memory of their leader and the lives lost in the devastating crash.

Father seeks help to fund part of graduate-son’s   unpaid tuition

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Adamu Sani Bello, a retired journalist and former civil servant from Bauchi State, is grappling with the distressing predicament of his son’s stranded status in Iran.

Despite graduating two years ago with a 75% scholarship, Bello’s son remains unable to return to Nigeria because of an unpaid university debt totaling $8,000.

Bello’s efforts to settle the remaining 25% of the debt have been thwarted by Nigeria’s economic woes, which have been exacerbated by rampant inflation.

Since his retirement, Bello has struggled to meet familial responsibilities amid challenging financial circumstances.

Desperate plea 

In a heartfelt three-minute video seen by The Daily Reality, Bello implores philanthropic individuals and nongovernmental organizations to come to his son’s rescue.

He reveals that his son, a trailblazer in dental surgery and the first Black student at his Iranian university, is unable to afford the $1,000 flight back to Nigeria.

The situation is dire as the expiration of his son’s residency visa looms.

Bello fears that his son may overstay his visa, compounding his already dire situation. 

Adding to the complexity, Iranian regulations prohibit students from seeking employment until they complete their studies.  

No way out 

With his passport also having expired in August, the young graduate finds himself trapped in a nightmarish limbo, devoid of job prospects and lacking the means to return home.

Bello’s desperate plea shows the urgent need for intervention to prevent his son from facing the harrowing prospect of incarceration in a foreign country.

Middle East, Israel targeted assassinations and the increasing risk of all-out war 

By Ismail Obansa Nimah

Yesterday again saw another targeted Israeli assassination of a high-profile leader of the Palestinian resistance axis, Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al Arouri. The assassination by Israel took place in the heart of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, at about 5:45 pm Local time. It comes roughly 24 hours before the 4th anniversary of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, former Commander of Iran’s elite Quds brigades of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard corps.

On the 3rd of January, 2020, turmoil was yet again unleashed in the Middle East when the United States of America (USA), in collaboration with her Israeli ally, assassinated Major-General Qassem Soleimani, a man who doubled as the commander of the Iranian Elite Revolutionary Quds Force and the second most potent/influential man in Iran after Ayatollah Al-Khamenei (Iran’s supreme leader).

Citing the preservation of the interest and national security of America, the United States launched a drone strike at a convoy conveying Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, killing them both and eight others near Baghdad airport in Iraq.

The conflict between the US and Iran dates as far back as the 1970s, and as almost always, the killing of Soleimani immediately rattled up tensions, bringing the US and Iran to the brink of war. According to some Iranian sources, General Soleimani was on an important mission to deliver a message to the Iraqi prime minister about its gulf neighbours and reconciliatory steps taken between Iran and its neighbours, especially its regional rival Saudi Arabia, suggesting that Riyadh may have leaked intelligence to Washington.

The killing of Soleimani was met with shock, worldwide condemnation and fierce declarations of avenge from Iranian officials and Iranians, generally with the supreme leader, President and military commanders/leaders pledging a harsh retaliation. Following the killing, massive protests and mourning broke out in the cities of Iran and Iraq, with hundreds of thousands of Iranians pouring out into the streets, mourning and chanting their desires for revenge.

On January 5th, 2020, the remains of General Soleimani and the other Iranians killed alongside him were flown into Iran amidst a sea of millions of mourners. The funeral and national procession of the Iranian legend was planned for the 7th of January, at his home town in ‘Kerman’, but an ensuing stampede due to massive crowds led to the death of at least 56 people and injuring 213 people, resulting in the immediate postponement of the burial.

In the early hours of the 5th day after Soleimani’s assassination, on the 8th of January 2020, Iran retaliated and launched over a dozen ballistic missiles on two US bases in Iraq. The attack by Iran injured over 100 US soldiers, with most of them reportedly suffering traumatic brain injuries, and also resulted in the destruction of important US assets in the bases. Tensions immediately skyrocketed following the Iranian counterattack, with oil prices rising to levels not seen in 3 months and countries including the US ordering their citizens to evacuate and leave Iraq and its environments, as well as airliners being told to avoid the airspace over Iran and Iraq.

As the world woke up to the news of an Iranian response, so did the news of the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752, killing all 176 on board. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps placed its defences on high alert following the counterattack, allowing its surface-to-air missile defence system to mistakenly shoot down the Kyiv-bound airliner shortly after take-off from Tehran. Following damages to the US bases and injuries to personnel, President Trump and the Pentagon ordered the immediate deployment of more US military assets to the Gulf region. Consequently, an airstrike on Iran that would be called off at the last minute by President Trump was ordered.

 Iraq, caught in a conflict between the world’s superpower and a Middle Eastern regional power, became destabilised. With the outright violations of its national sovereignty by a supposed ally, protest broke out with both ordinary Iraqis and the Iraqi parliament calling for the expulsion of American troops and other foreign forces from its soil. For a lot of them (Iraqis), the horrors and consequences of decades of war can still very much be remembered and felt, and they, by all means, want to be left out of another regional conflict.

Four years on, tensions remain at a ceiling level between Iran and the US/its Middle Eastern allies, particularly Israel. Israel’s brutal genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 22,000 Palestinians, as well as more Israeli-targeted killings of Iranian officials. It’s regional allies with American support, including Mohsen Fakhrizadeh; it is yet to be fully known how close an all-out war is between Iran and American-backed forces within the region, particularly Israel.  Although so many structures have been re-named after Soleimani, the void created in the hearts of Iranians, the Palestinian resistance axis and the Islamic Republic of Iran by his death will take a long time to heal and will require more than an anniversary celebration for the already sanction crippled nation.

Ismail Obansa Nimah wrote via nimah013@gmail.com.

Saudi Arabia, Iran discuss Gaza conflict for first time

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Media reports from Iran and Saudi Arabia stated that the leaders of the two countries discussed the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a telephone conversation for the first time since the restoration of diplomatic relations between them. 

They said that President Ebrahim Raisi and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman discussed the need to end what Raisi described as war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. 

The Saudi Press Agency said that Riyadh emphasized its support for the Palestinians and the need to overcome the situation through diplomatic means. 

The Saudi prince confirmed that the Kingdom is doing its best to negotiate with international and Middle Eastern countries to stop this raging war, as quoted by the Saudi Press Agency. 

The company reported that the Prince stressed that Saudi Arabia rejects any plans to attack civilians anywhere. 

The United Nations says 340,000 people have been forced to flee their homes as Israel continues its offensive in response to Saturday’s attack by Hamas. 

Israel has prevented people from leaving anywhere, although some residents have managed to cross from Gaza Strip. 

However, countries and organizations continue to call for the creation of conditions for aid in Gaza and for refugees to leave. 

Iranian president praises African nations’ stand against ‘colonialism’

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi applauded the steadfast resistance of African countries against colonialism and terrorism during a diplomatic meeting with Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Olivia Rouamba on Monday. 

While not explicitly naming France, President Raisi’s remarks were seen as a recognition of African nations’ efforts to assert their sovereignty. 

Burkina Faso and Mali, both currently under military junta rule, have notably severed military ties with France, their former colonial ruler, in favour of bolstering relations with Russia. 

Niger, which experienced a military junta takeover in July, has been marked by widespread protests demanding the withdrawal of French troops, harking back to its colonial history. 

In his meeting with Foreign Minister Rouamba, President Raisi commended the African countries for their resilience and resolve. He described their stance as a “sign of vigilance and awakening,” underscoring the importance of nations safeguarding their independence. 

The Iranian presidency’s official website published a statement quoting President Raisi’s words of appreciation for African countries’ principled stand against colonialism and terrorism. 

While diplomatic relations between Iran and the African nations were not the primary focus of the meeting, the implicit message of solidarity resonated with those advocating for self-determination and autonomy in the face of historical colonial ties. 

This meeting marks another instance of international relations being influenced by the evolving geopolitical landscape as African nations navigate their path towards sovereignty and redefine their partnerships on the global stage.

Tension as Saudi, Iran summon Swedish diplomats over Qur’an protests

By Uzair Adam Imam

Saudi Arabia, often described as the Middle East powerhouse, and Iran have summoned Swedish diplomats to denounce the Stockholm’s permission for protests that meant to desecrate Qur’an, the Muslims holy book, on free speech grounds.

The calls by the two majority-Muslim countries, which came separately, were in statements made available late Thursday.

This is coming amid heightened tensions between Sweden and Iraq over a Sweden-based Iraqi refugee, who last month burnt pages of Qur’an outside Stockholm’s main mosque.

The Daily Reality learned that, in the latest such incident on Thursday, the refugee, Salwan Momika, stepped on the Qur’an but did not burn it.

Monika’s action was considered to be the reason that triggered the renewed condemnations and calls for protest across the Muslim world.

According to a foreign ministry statement, Saudi Arabia, it would hand the Swedish charge d’affaires “a protest note that includes the kingdom’s request to the Swedish authorities to take all immediate and necessary measures to stop these disgraceful acts”

Nasser Kanani, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, said Sweden’s ambassador to Tehran had been called in to censure the permit granted to Momika’s protest and to warn Stockholm of the consequences of such actions.

“We strongly condemn the repeated desecration of the holy Koran and Islamic sanctities in Sweden and hold the Swedish government fully responsible for the consequences of inciting the feelings of Muslims around the world,” Kanani said.