TEHRAN: Iranian authorities on Tuesday granted pardons to two journalists jailed after covering the 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests, official media said.
Elaheh Mohammadi, 37, and Niloufar Hamedi, 32, were jailed in September 2022, days after producing media coverage of Amini’s death. The two journalists, both women, had spent more than a year behind bars before their release on bail.
“The cases of Ms Mohammadi and Ms Hamedi have been included in the list of pardons presented on Tuesday and have been awarded amnesty,” said the judiciary’s Mizan Online news website.
Mohammadi, a reporter for the reformist Ham Mihan daily, was arrested after going to Amini’s hometown of Saqez, in the western Iranian province of Kurdistan, to cover her funeral which turned into a demonstration.
Hamedi, a photographer for Shargh daily, was arrested less than a week after Amini’s death after posting a picture of the young woman’s grieving family on social media.
They had both received jail terms for collaboration with the United States, conspiring against state security and propaganda against the Islamic republic.
In August, the lawyers of the two journalists said they had been acquitted of the charge of collaboration with the United States.
Shargh reported on Tuesday that the cases of both journalists were now “closed.”
Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, had been arrested for an alleged breach of strict dress rules for women, in place since shortly after Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.
Following her death, months-long protests shook Iran, with hundreds of people, including dozens of security personnel, killed in the unrest, and thousands of demonstrators arrested.
Iran extends amnesty to journalists who covered Amini’s death
https://arab.news/2qxd4
Iran extends amnesty to journalists who covered Amini’s death
- Elaheh Mohammadi and Niloufar Hamedi were jailed in September 2022, days after producing media coverage of Amini’s death
Western media refute Trump’s claims Iran possesses Tomahawk missiles
- Speaking to journalists, Trump suggested Tehran used US-made cruise missile in school attack that killed over 170, calling the weapon ‘very generic’
- CNN, Sky News and analysts said that ‘neither Israel nor Iran use Tomahawk missiles,’ urged accurate identification to ensure credibility in public discourse
LONDON: Western media outlets and defense analysts have pushed back against claims by US President Donald Trump that Iran possesses Tomahawk cruise missiles, after he raised the possibility while discussing a recent strike on an Iranian school that has drawn international scrutiny.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump suggested Iran may have used Tomahawks in the attack, calling the weapon “very generic” and implying that multiple countries, including Iran, could have access to the system.
However, journalists and weapons experts swiftly disputed that assertion. They noted that Tomahawk missiles are US-manufactured cruise missile systems that Washington supplies only to a small number of close allies, primarily the UK and Australia. There is no credible evidence that Iran has ever obtained the weapon.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett referenced an investigation by correspondent Isobel Yeong that concluded “neither Israel nor Iran use Tomahawk missiles, according to experts.” Sky News and other Western outlets also challenged Trump’s remarks.
Analysts pointed out that Iran has developed its own domestic cruise missile systems, such as the Soumar and Hoveyzeh, which are believed to be based partly on older Soviet-era designs.
While these systems resemble cruise missiles in concept, experts say they differ significantly from the Tomahawk in design, propulsion configuration and operational characteristics.
While Iran has made substantial advances in ballistic and domestically produced cruise missiles over the past two decades, defense analysts said there is no verified evidence that Tehran holds the American-made system.
The episode reflects a broader pattern in which statements about military technology are rapidly scrutinized by open-source investigators and defense experts.
Experts say the distinction is important: accurately identifying the type of missile used in a strike can provide clues about the likely actor responsible, the launch platform involved and the broader geopolitical consequences of a strike.
Analysts also say that accurate identification of military systems remains essential for avoiding misinformation and for maintaining credibility in public discourse surrounding regional security.
Despite the growing body of evidence, the precise circumstances of the school attack nonetheless remain unclear, with investigators hampered by a lack of weapons fragments and limited access to the site.
Norway-based rights group Hengaw said the school was holding its morning session at the time of the reported attack and had at least 168 children and 14 teachers.
Trump said the US was continuing to investigate the incident. “Whatever the report shows, I’m willing to live with that report,” he said.
