Iran has reached the point where it needs some concessions from the international community. That is why it seized a South Korean-flagged tanker before an arranged visit by a South Korean envoy to discuss the possibility of releasing 7 billion dollars in frozen Iranian assets held by Korean banks.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran), reported that this is not the only time foreign and dual nationals have been hostages in Iran.
Many have ended up being executed while some have been used as part of exchange deals to release Iranians from prison overseas. Many of them have been jailed due to convictions for criminal activities.
Some European policymakers have started to realize the unacceptable behavior of the Iranian regime.
Ahmadreza Djalali, Another Victim of Tehran’s Hostage-Taking #DisbandIRGC #FreePoliticalPrisoners https://t.co/rcpPNiwDXn via @irannewsupdate1
— Saeed Morad (@saeedseydmorad1) November 26, 2020
In late November, the Iranian judiciary threatened the life of an Iranian-born death row inmate who was a Swedish citizen and who had worked in Belgium. This tactic was a movement dedicated to try and discourage Belgium from making the move to prosecute an Iranian diplomat-terrorist. Brussels was never going to agree to a prisoner swap but said if Ahmadreza Djalali was killed it would immediately cut all ties with Iran.
Fortunately, for Djalali at least, his execution has been delayed, but the Belgian court is moving rapidly through to convicting and sentencing the regime’s diplomat-terrorist Assadollah Assadi.
Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi faces terrorism charges in Belgium court
Belgium’s ultimatum highlighted that there is a power differential when dealing with Iran. Tehran simply cannot afford to lose all of its access it currently holds to European markets or diplomatic channels.
Djalali has been sentenced to death because the regime believed he was “spreading corruption on earth” and it believed it had the proof that he acted as a spy on Israel’s behalf. What appears to be true is that Djalali has said that he was approached by Iranian authorities and was asked to cooperate with Iranian intelligence after he returned from Europe, but because he refused he ended up in the situation he is in right now.
https://t.co/fDw1tKXyUQ: On June 30, 2018, a sophisticated bomb should have exploded during a meeting of the #NCRI a coalition of movements opposed to the authorities in Tehran. The attack plan had been foiled by extremists. #MEK #Iran https://t.co/Vihck8lA6j
— MEK Iran (Mujahedin-e Khalq) (@MEK_Iran) October 10, 2020
There was not a lot the regime could say about Assadi’s arrest as he was caught in the act, transferring an explosive device to two Iranian-Belgian terrorists who were given the responsibility of carrying out a bombing plot mastermind by him. Fortunately, European security services caught the assailants before the bombing took place, which meant potentially thousands of lives saved. They were attending a conference at a venue near Paris which was held by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and (PMOI / MEK Iran). Assadi may only face a prison term of just 20 years for this thwarted bomb plot.
South Korea and Iran
South Korea does not owe the regime unfrozen assets and the Western world certainly does not owe the regime additional financial incentives to avoid the development of a nuclear weapon. At long last, Belgium has shown what approach to use. The EU leaders should close Iran’s embassies and expel its agents from European soil. The EU should also ensure all economic and political relations with Iran were dependent on the regime stopping all human rights violations and the spread of terrorism.
MEK Iran (follow them on Twitter and Facebook)
and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTube
