Iran news in brief, June 20, 2019

Iran news in brief, June 20, 2019

Iran Regime Carries out Public Flogging

The Iranian regime carried out a public flogging this week in the impoverished town of Iranshahr. The person’s face was covered as the punishment was carried out on Monday.

Separately on Wednesday, the Iranian regime sentenced a young man in Tehran to 99 lashes and 15 years’ imprisonment.

Woman Executed in Iranian Prison

A woman by the name of Fatemeh Nassiri and a man were executed Wednesday morning, June 19 in Gohardasht Prison in the Iranian city of Karaj.

Fatemeh Nassiri had been transferred from Qarchak Prison to Gohardasht for the sentence to be carried out. She had been in jail since 11 years ago when she undertook the responsibility of a murder committed by her son.

Fatemeh Nassiri is the 89th woman hanged during Rouhani’s term in office.

New Charges Against Two Women's Rights Activists

A two-hour trial of Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee was held on Tuesday, June 18, at the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran.

The new case against Atena and Golrokh includes charges of insulting Khomeini and Khamenei, and causing disruption in the prison’s order by resisting physical inspection and by singing anthems in protest to the executions of three Kurdish political prisoners.

Atena and Golrokh have also been accused of propaganda against the state by sending open letters out of prison.

US Drone Shot Down by Iranian Missile in International Airspace

A US military drone has been shot down in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, a US official said on Thursday.

The official said the drone was a US Navy MQ-4C Triton. No further details were immediately available.

US Envoy on Iran Says Tehran 'Without Question' Behind Gulf of Oman Attacks

The US special envoy for Iran told a congressional hearing that Tehran was “without question” behind last week’s attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

“Those who have seen the intelligence all come away without any question Iran is behind these attacks,” Brian Hook told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

“No one should be uncertain about our desire for peace or our readiness to normalize relations should we reach a comprehensive deal,” Hook said. “We have put the possibility of a much brighter future on the table for the Iranian people.”

Hook told lawmakers that the Iranian regime has chosen to use military force despite President Trump’s Iran policy largely relying on diplomatic and economic tools like sanctions.

“Our policy is at its core an economic and diplomatic one. Recently, however, Iran has responded to it with violence. Iran should meet diplomacy with diplomacy, not with terror, bloodshed and extortion” he said.

US Navy Says Mine Fragments, Magnet Point to Iranian Regime in Gulf Tanker Attack

The United States Navy on Wednesday displayed limpet mine fragments and a magnet it said it had removed from one of two oil tankers attacked in the Gulf of Oman last week, saying the mines bore a striking resemblance to Iranian ones.

“The limpet mine that was used in the attack is distinguishable and also strikingly bearing a resemblance to Iranian mines that have already been publicly displayed in Iranian military parades,” said Commander Sean Kido, commanding officer of an explosive ordinance dive and salvage task group in the Naval Forces Central Command.