DUBAI: Tehran has released an Iranian journalist on bail after more than two months held without charge, but her husband, a dual nationality Iranian-American who reports for the Washington Post, remains in jail, her family said yesterday.
Yeganeh Salehi, Tehran correspondent for the United Arab Emirates’ English language newspaper, The National, was freed last week.
“She is in good health,” one relative, who asked not to be named, said by telephone from Tehran. The relatives did not provide anymore details. Salehi and her husband Jason Rezaian were picked up from their home in Tehran on July 22 and detained.
Two other journalists, an Iranian-American photojournalist and her husband, were also detained on the same day, but later released. Their names have not been disclosed.
Rezaian, 38, has been based in Iran since 2008. The United States, which has no diplomatic ties with Iran, has called for his release. Iran does not recognise dual nationality and President Hassan Rowhani declined to provide details on Rezaian’s case when questioned by reporters during his trip to the United Nations in New York in September.
“If they have not committed any crimes, it will be determined that he or she is innocent, they will be freed and it will be announced openly,” Rowhani told CNN. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says Iran has around 35 imprisoned journalists and is in the top three countries for jailing reporters.reuters
Two dead in Iran arms factory fire
TEHRAN: Two people were killed in a fire at a defence ministry plant east of Tehran for the production of explosives, Iran’s state news agency Irna reported yesterday. The Defence Industries Organisation, quoted by Irna, said the fire broke out at the plant on Sunday night but it gave no further details.
Several arms facilities and military bases are located east of the Iranian capital, including Parchin which UN nuclear inspectors have been seeking to visit to answer concerns about Iran’s atomic programme. The base lies at the centre of allegations of past Iranian research into sophisticated explosives that can be used to detonate a nuclear warhead.AFP
