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Iranian police say 139 foreigners arrested over unrest in Yazd province

Iranian police said 139 foreign nationals have so far been arrested in the central province of Yazd for their participation in recent protests, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday, without specifying their nationalities. Yazd, a predominantly desert province with a relatively small population above 1 million, was one of many provinces affected by nationwide protests in January. The protests, which started in December over economic hardships and quickly turned political, were repressed in the most violent crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The official death toll stands at 3,117, although rights groups say many more people have been killed. US-based rights group HRANA has said that nearly 50,000 people have so far been arrested. Authorities blame Israel and the United States for fomenting the violence. "These (foreign) individuals played an active role in organising, inciting, and directing riotous actions, and in some cases were in contact with netwo...
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Asma al-Assad reportedly given 50/50 chance of survival as leukemia returns

Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of ousted Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, is reportedly gravely ill and has been given a 50/50 chance of survival after her leukemia returned. The former first lady of Syria is reportedly being isolated to prevent infection, unable to be in the same room as others as her condition worsens. Sources close to the family have described her condition as critical, with Asma’s father, Fawaz Akhras, a renowned cardiologist, reportedly providing round-the-clock care in Moscow, where the family sought refuge after Assad's regime collapsed under rebel advances. Asma, 49, was first diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. This diagnosis reportedly came just a few years after her successful treatment for breast cancer in 2019, which had led to her being declared cancer-free. Reports suggest that Asma’s leukemia has returned with full force, and her health is deteriorating. “She can’t be in the same room with anyone,” one source reportedly stated. “When leukemia comes back, it’s vicious. She’s been 50/50 in the last few weeks.” The Assads, along with their children, reportedly fled to Moscow earlier this month ahead of the rebel offensive that ultimately led to the fall of Damascus. Asma’s medical condition is believed to have been a major factor in her early departure, with sources claiming she sought treatment in Russia before Bashar left. In recent weeks, rumors have surfaced that Asma is reportedly seeking a divorce from her husband and considering a return to the UK for treatment. However, the Kremlin has denied these reports, and Russian officials have suggested that Asma is still weighing her options. The UK government has reportedly reiterated its stance that Asma al-Assad and her family are unwelcome in the UK due to sanctions imposed on them for supporting Bashar’s brutal regime. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has reportedly stated, “I want it confirmed that she’s a sanctioned individual and is not welcome here in the UK.” Despite her deteriorating health, the Assad family’s ties with Moscow are said to be increasingly strained. Assad’s defeat has reportedly embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the two leaders’ relationship has reportedly cooled in recent months, with frustration growing over Assad’s refusal to engage in political reform or negotiations with opposition groups. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the Assad family’s assets in Russia have been frozen, and Bashar al-Assad’s movement is highly restricted.

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