An Iranian diplomat sentenced to 20 years in jail for planning a bomb attack on an opposition rally in France abandoned his appeal on Wednesday and will serve his sentence.
Assadollah Assadi was found guilty of attempted terrorism by a court in Antwerp, Belgium, on February 4 over the foiled plot to attack a rally of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in June 2018.
The conviction of Assadi, a spymaster for Europe operating out of Iran's embassy in Vienna, Austria, sparked a crisis in relations with the EU, but failed to lead to the mass expulsion of Iranian diplomats demanded by the NCRI.
Lawyers said the Belgian authorities would oppose any potential prisoner swap involving Assadi after his case was linked to the continued detention of dual citizens in Iran.
"This has been a political trial since the beginning and he does not want to participate any longer," his lawyer, Dimitri de Beco, said.
During his trial, Assadi claimed diplomatic immunity – an argument rejected by the court, which said his status did not protect him from accusations that he used his post as cover to run state-sponsored terrorist operations.
The court concluded that he was running an Iranian state intelligence network on orders from Tehran.
He brought explosives for the Paris plot on a plane from Iran and handed over a device to a husband-and-wife bombing team after a meeting at a Pizza Hut in Luxembourg City.
He kept in contact with them until they were arrested as they drove to the rally attended by an estimated 25,000 people in Villepinte, on the outskirts of Paris.
Assadi was arrested in Germany as he drove back to Austria with his family. He was extradited to Belgium to stand trial in Antwerp, where the bombers had lived and worked for years after claiming to have been regime dissidents.
The couple, Amir Saadouni and Nasimeh Naami, will continue their appeal along with a third agent convicted of involvement in the plot.
Assadi refused to attend the trial but became the first Iranian official to be convicted of terrorism in Europe since Iran's 1979 revolution.
Prosecution lawyer Georges-Henri Beauthier said the Belgian state guaranteed there would be no swap of Assadi for western prisoners in Iran, citing a separation of powers between judicial and political decisions.
"The Belgian government will not discuss a prisoner swap," he said, citing a written guarantee.
EU governments say they cannot turn a blind eye to terrorism, including two killings in the Netherlands and a failed assassination attempt in Denmark, which they blame on Iran.
Tehran repeatedly dismissed all terrorism charges, calling the Paris plot a "false flag" stunt by the NCRI, which Iran considers a terrorist group.
NCRI chief Maryam Rajavi, who gave testimony during Assadi's trial, called on the EU to sanction Iranian intelligence officials and elite commanders.
“The regime’s leaders, who have been responsible for the export of terrorism for the past four decades, must be brought to justice,” she said.
But few EU governments commented publicly on Assadi's sentencing in February, other than France. It is involved in indirect talks between the US and Iran to revive a 2015 accord aimed at containing Tehran's nuclear programme.
While the EU last month imposed more sanctions on Iranian individuals, Brussels is seeking closer diplomatic and business ties with Tehran.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
Brief scores:
Juventus 3
Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'
Frosinone 0
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Barbie
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
3%20Body%20Problem
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