Iran news in brief, May 18, 2019

Iran news in brief, May 18, 2019

Insurer Says Iran's Revolutionary Guards Likely to Have Organized Tanker Attacks

The Iranian Regime’s Revolutionary Guards are “highly likely” to have facilitated attacks last Sunday on four tankers including two Saudi ships near the United Arab Emirates, according to a Norwegian insurers’ report seen by Reuters.

A confidential assessment issued this week by the Norwegian Shipowners’ Mutual War Risks Insurance Association concluded that the attack was likely to have been carried out by a surface vessel operating close by that dispatched underwater drones carrying 30-50 kg of high-grade explosives to detonate on impact.

The attacks took place against a backdrop of U.S.-Iranian tension following Washington’s decision this month to try to cut Tehran’s oil exports to zero and beef up its military presence in the Gulf in response to what it called Iranian threats.

23 Prisoners Awaiting Hand Amputation in Tehran Prison

Twenty-three prisoners convicted of theft are languishing in the Greater Tehran Prison awaiting hand amputation. The hand of one of the prisoners is to be amputated in the coming days.

The prisoner has been identified as Alireza Khan Baluchi and reports indicate that his case has been sent to the Sentence Implementation Department.

Iranians are sentenced to amputation for petty theft while state corruption has been institutionalized in the regime.

UK Says British-Iranians Should Not Travel to Iran

British-Iranian dual nationals should not travel to Iran; the United Kingdom's Foreign Office has said.

The Foreign Office changed its travel advice on Friday because of the Iranian regime's "continued arbitrary detention and mistreatment of dual nationals".

The advice has also changed because of Iranian citizens' links with UK institutions.

British nationals, particularly dual nations, face an "unacceptably higher risk" of arbitrary detention and mistreatment than nationals of other countries, the Foreign Office added.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Dual nationals face an intolerable risk of mistreatment if they visit Iran. Despite the UK providing repeated opportunities to resolve this issue, the Iranian regime's conduct has worsened.

"Having exhausted all other options, I must now advise all British-Iranian dual nationals against travelling to Iran.”

NCRI Names 11 New Political Prisoners

The National Council of Resistance of Iran has announced the names of 11 political prisoners arrested by the regime in late April and May.

The main opposition group PMOI had announced the names of 28 other recently detained political prisoners on April 23.

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, has emphasized that the political prisoners are at risk of torture and execution or long term imprisonment.

She once again called on the UN Secretary-General, High Commissioner and Human Rights Council to take immediate action for their release.

Britain Shares Same Assessment of Iran as the United States

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said this week that Britain agrees with the United States that the Iranian regime poses a heightened threat and will work closely with its ally.

Hunt said he had discussed Iran with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week in London, and again in Brussels on Monday.

“We share the same assessment of the heightened threat posed by Iran,” Hunt said on Twitter. “As always we work closely with the USA.”