Aug. 9 – The UK’s Foreign Office warned against all travel to Iran this week, as the Islamic Republic threatened a military retaliation against Israel for its assassination of senior commanders leading two of its armed groups in the Middle East.
Israel killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr at the end of July, as retribution for a Hamas attack on Oct. 7 which killed more than 1,200 people, including children, in Israel.
The UK Home Office said British and British-Iranian dual nationals were at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention and the act of holding a British passport alone or connections to the UK could result in being detained by Iranian authorities.
Mass executions in Iran took place from Aug. 6 to Aug. 7 with at least 29 men executed on convictions for murder, drug-related offenses and rape charges, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group.
Seven more men were also reportedly executed during that time, according to a report by the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran.
The Islamic Republic has been accused by human rights groups of using the death penalty as way to frighten and silence critics and opponents of the government. The republic is the second most active country after China for its use of the death penalty and is the world’s most active executioner of women and children.
And an Iran-born athlete competing at the Olympics used the games to send a message of support to women in Afghanistan, who continue to suffer under the de-facto Taliban government in the country.
Kimia Yousofi, a 100 meter runner who fled Afghanistan, turned her bib around after crossing the finishing line to reveal a sign that read “education,” “sport” and “our rights.”
Women and girls in Afghanistan have had their rights drastically cut since the Taliban came to power in 2021, including severely restricted access to education and participation in social, economic and political spheres.
