Activist Vahid Beheshti has been urged to finish his hunger strike by British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, who said he was worried for the campaigner’s health.
Mr Beheshti, 45, is demanding that the UK designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
Now on the 69th day of a hunger strike, he is no longer able to walk after surviving on a diet of water, coffee and a handful of sugar cubes.
Conservative MP Nicola Richards raised his case in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
“Vahid Beheshti is on his 69th day of hunger strike and was recently supported by 125 cross-party parliamentarians in his campaign to proscribe the IRGC”, which is “responsible for committing grotesque human rights abuses”, she said.
Ms Richards asked the Foreign Secretary if he acknowledged “the sense of urgency so many parliamentarians place upon the IRGC proscription”.
Mr Cleverly replied: “Mr Beheshti has met with ministerial colleagues, both in the Home Office and in the Foreign Office. I do worry about his health and would urge him to stop his hunger strike.
“With regard to Iran’s completely unacceptable behaviour, we have responded by sanctioning the IRGC in its entirety and certain leaders of the IRGC specifically.
“We will always take action which we believe to be in the best interests of the safety of British nationals.”
He added: “We, of course, always keep options available and under review.”
Last week, Mr Beheshti was invited into the Foreign Office, where he is camped, to speak to Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, about his protest.
He told The National that Mr Ahmad had said he wanted to work together on the issue, and urged him to end his protest.
Iran has plotted to abduct or kill at least 10 British citizens or people based in the UK, Britain’s domestic spy chief said last year.
Iran International, a television station that broadcasts stories critical of the regime, was forced to temporarily close its London office this year after journalists were threatened by the IRGC.
In Austria, protesters gathered outside Tehran’s embassy in Vienna on Tuesday, saying they were being kept in the dark on the fate of prisoners in Iran.
Iranian exiles and Green Party MPs demanded the release of rapper Toomaj Salehi and accused Iran’s ambassador of ignoring their requests for updates.
A sign with the slogan “women, life, freedom” was hung on a lamp post outside the ambassador’s office to “remind him every day” of the protesters’ demands, said Michel Reimon, MP.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The studios taking part (so far)
- Punch
- Vogue Fitness
- Sweat
- Bodytree Studio
- The Hot House
- The Room
- Inspire Sports (Ladies Only)
- Cryo
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
More on animal trafficking
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
