DUBAI: Iranian security forces have arrested an employee of an opposition television broadcaster, Iran International, as the individual was trying to flee the country, its semi-official Fars news agency said on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, called the London-based channel a “terrorist” organization.
The arrest comes amidst one of the boldest challenges to Iran’s clerical rulers since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with nationwide protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police for not wearing “appropriate attire.”
“Recently, the agent carried out numerous activities and actions in slandering the Islamic Republic, inviting youth to riot and creating terror among the people,” Fars said with respect to the arrest.
Iranian media identified the arrested individual as Elham Afkari, who they said had been in contact with the TV channel.
The semi-official Student News Network broadcaster said she was the sister of Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old Greco-Roman wrestler executed in September 2020 after being convicted of stabbing a security guard to death during anti-government protests in 2018.
Afkari’s family and activists have said Navid was tortured into making a false confession, accusations that were denied by the hard-line Iranian judiciary.
Saeed Afkari confirmed his sister’s arrest on Twitter on Thursday, adding that the whereabouts of Elham’s three-year-old daughter were unknown.
Since the execution of Navid Afkari, the Afkaris have faced several court cases over involvement in the 2018 protests. Habib Afkari was freed in March 2022 after months of isolation in prison, while Vahid Afkari remains in solitary confinement.
Iran arrests ‘agent’ of London-based opposition TV channel: Fars
https://arab.news/6y4dx
Iran arrests ‘agent’ of London-based opposition TV channel: Fars
- “Recently, the agent carried out numerous activities and actions in slandering the Islamic Republic, inviting youth to riot and creating terror among the people,” Fars said
Saudi Arabia strengthens global ranking in 2026 Soft Power Index
- UAE maintains 10th place, Qatar climbs 2 spots
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia climbed three positions to 17th place in this year’s Soft Power Index, released on Tuesday by marketing consultancy Brand Finance.
Other Gulf nations also performed well, with the UAE maintaining its 10th-place ranking and Qatar and Bahrain each climbing two spots to No. 20 and No. 49, respectively, marking a rebound for the region after a softer showing in 2025.
The report indicates that the performance reflects sustained investment in proactive diplomacy, economic diversification and expanded initiatives across culture, tourism and sports.
It also comes at a time when several Western powers are recording declines in their rankings, highlighting the growing influence of Gulf states.
“The UAE remains a clear regional leader, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar have strengthened their global positions through focused economic diplomacy and international engagement,” said Savio D’Souza, managing director for the Middle East and Africa, Brand Finance.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE either maintained or improved their rankings across all key pillars, including familiarity, reputation and influence.
The Kingdom recorded notable gains, with increases of 25 points in the People & Values pillar and 12 points in the Culture & Heritage pillar.
“Although perceptions across some markets remain mixed, renewed upward movement in the rankings suggests that targeted, long-term soft power strategies are beginning to pay off,” D’Souza said.
Globally, the US retained its top position despite recording the steepest overall decline in its score, followed by China in second place. Japan rose to third place, overtaking the UK, which ranked fourth, while Germany placed fifth.
Brand Finance defines “soft power” as a “nation’s ability to influence the preferences and behaviors of various actors in the international arena (states, corporations, communities, publics, etc.) through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion.”
Each nation is assessed across 55 individual metrics, producing an overall score out of 100 and a ranking from first to 193rd.
