Former Tunisian PM Larayedh jailed for 34 years over Syria jihadist case
A Tunisian court on Friday handed down a 34-year prison sentence against former prime minister Ali Larayedh, a senior figure in the opposition Ennahda party, on charges of facilitating the departure of jihadists to Syria over the past decade, his lawyer told Reuters.
Larayedh, who served as prime minister from 2013 to 2014, is a senior figure in Ennahda, an Islamist party that has been a main opponent of President Kais Saied.
The ruling comes a week after the detention of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a fierce critic of Saied, alongside other prison sentences against opposition leaders, businessmen, and media figures on charges of conspiracy.
TAP state news agency quoted a judicial official as saying that the sentences apply to eight people and are for 18 to 36 years.
Human rights groups have described last week sentences and detention of Souab as a dangerous escalation of the crackdown against opposition. The government denied accusations and said that the judiciary is independent.
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Daily Maverick
5 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Trump says Iran's key nuclear sites ‘obliterated' by US airstrikes
Trump warns Iran of more attacks if no peace agreement Iran confirms Fordow site attacked by 'enemy airstrikes' Israel claims coordination with U.S. on Iran strikes Diplomatic efforts to stop hostilities unsuccessful, UN calls strikes dangerous escalation By Phil Stewart and Steve Holland After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump's decision to join Israel's military campaign against its major rival Iran is a major escalation of the conflict and risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East. 'The strikes were a spectacular military success,' Trump said in a televised address. 'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.' In a speech that lasted just over three minutes, Trump said Iran's future held 'either peace or tragedy,' and there were many other targets that could be hit by the U.S. military. 'If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.' The U.S. reached out to Iran diplomatically on Saturday to say the strikes are all the U.S. plans and it does not aim for regime change, CBS News reported. Trump said U.S. forces struck Iran's three principal nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. He told Fox News' Sean Hannity show that six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired against other nuclear sites. U.S. B-2 bombers were involved in the strikes, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'Fordow is gone.' Reuters had reported earlier on Saturday the movement of the B-2 bombers, which can be equipped to carry massive bombs that experts say would be needed to strike Fordow, which is buried beneath a mountain south of Tehran. Given its fortification, it will likely be days, if not longer, before the impact of the strikes is known. An Iranian official, cited by Tasnim news agency, confirmed part of the Fordow site was attacked by 'enemy airstrikes.' However, Mohammad Manan Raisi, a lawmaker for Qom, near Fordow, told the semi-official Fars news agency the facility had not been seriously damaged. Iranian media quoted Iran's nuclear body as saying there were no signs of contamination after the attacks, and no danger to residents living nearby. Hassan Abedini, deputy political head of Iran's state broadcaster, said Iran had evacuated the three sites some time ago. 'The enriched uranium reserves had been transferred from the nuclear centres and there are no materials left there that, if targeted, would cause radiation and be harmful to our compatriots,' he told the channel. DIPLOMACY UNSUCCESSFUL Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on his 'bold decision'. 'History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime, the world's most dangerous weapons,' Netanyahu said. The strikes came as Israel and Iran have been engaged in more than a week of aerial combat that has resulted in deaths and injuries in both countries. Israel launched the attacks on Iran saying it wanted to remove any chance of Tehran developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Diplomatic efforts by Western nations to stop the hostilities have so far failed. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Saturday's strikes a 'dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.' Both sides' attacks on energy infrastructure, including by Israel on Iran's South Pars gas field and the risk of a complete shutdown of the OPEC member's oil production, as well as Iran targeting shipping in the Straits of Hormuz, have fueled fears of a spike in oil prices and impacts on economies worldwide. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was due to hold a news conference at the Pentagon early on Sunday. In recent days, Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans have argued that Trump must receive permission from the U.S. Congress before committing the U.S. military to any combat against Iran. Republican Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi applauded the operation but cautioned that the U.S. now faced 'very serious choices ahead.' One Republican lawmaker, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, simply said, 'This is not constitutional.' Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said it was 'absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' Many in Trump's MAGA movement oppose U.S. entanglement in foreign military operations. Trump ally Steve Bannon said on his War Room podcast that the president's address was probably not what a lot of MAGA supporters wanted to hear, and he called on Trump to offer a 'deeper explanation' for why U.S. involvement was necessary. Trump-aligned commentator Charlie Kirk posted on X: 'America stands with President Trump.' Israel launched attacks on June 13, saying Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons, which it neither confirms nor denies. At least 430 people have been killed and 3,500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks, Iranian state-run Nour News said, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed and 1,272 people injured, according to local authorities.
TimesLIVE
6 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Trump says Iran's key nuclear sites 'obliterated' by US airstrikes
US forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said late on Saturday, and he warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace. After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump's decision to join Israel's military campaign against its major rival Iran is a major escalation of the conflict and risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East. 'The strikes were a spectacular military success,' Trump said in a televised address. 'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.' In a speech that lasted just over three minutes, Trump said Iran's future held 'either peace or tragedy,' and there were many other targets that could be hit by the US military. 'If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.' The US reached out to Iran diplomatically on Saturday to say the strikes are all the US plans and it does not aim for regime change, CBS News reported. Trump said US forces struck Iran's three principal nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. He told Fox News' Sean Hannity show that six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired against other nuclear sites. US B-2 bombers were involved in the strikes, a US official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'Fordow is gone.' Reuters had reported earlier on Saturday the movement of the B-2 bombers, which can be equipped to carry massive bombs that experts say would be needed to strike Fordow, which is buried beneath a mountain south of Tehran. Given its fortification, it will likely be days, if not longer, before the impact of the strikes is known. An Iranian official, cited by Tasnim news agency, confirmed part of the Fordow site was attacked by 'enemy airstrikes.' History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime, the world's most dangerous weapons. However, Mohammad Manan Raisi, a lawmaker for Qom, near Fordow, told the semi-official Fars news agency the facility had not been seriously damaged. Iranian media quoted Iran's nuclear body as saying there were no signs of contamination after the attacks, and no danger to residents living nearby. Hassan Abedini, deputy political head of Iran's state broadcaster, said Iran had evacuated the three sites some time ago. 'The enriched uranium reserves had been transferred from the nuclear centres and there are no materials left there that, if targeted, would cause radiation and be harmful to our compatriots,' he told the channel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on his 'bold decision'. 'History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime, the world's most dangerous weapons,' Netanyahu said. The strikes came as Israel and Iran have been engaged in more than a week of aerial combat that has resulted in deaths and injuries in both countries. Israel launched the attacks on Iran saying it wanted to remove any chance of Tehran developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Diplomatic efforts by Western nations to stop the hostilities have so far failed. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Saturday's strikes a 'dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge — and a direct threat to international peace and security.' Both sides' attacks on energy infrastructure, including by Israel on Iran's South Pars gas field and the risk of a complete shutdown of the OPEC member's oil production, as well as Iran targeting shipping in the Straits of Hormuz, have fuelled fears of a spike in oil prices and impacts on economies worldwide. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was due to hold a news conference at the Pentagon early on Sunday. In recent days, Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans have argued that Trump must receive permission from the U.S. Congress before committing the US military to any combat against Iran. Republican Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi applauded the operation but cautioned that the US now faced 'very serious choices ahead.' One Republican lawmaker, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, simply said, 'This is not constitutional.' Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said it was 'absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' Many in Trump's MAGA movement oppose US entanglement in foreign military operations. Trump ally Steve Bannon said on his War Room podcast that the president's address was probably not what a lot of MAGA supporters wanted to hear, and he called on Trump to offer a 'deeper explanation' for why US involvement was necessary. Trump-aligned commentator Charlie Kirk posted on X: 'America stands with President Trump.' Israel launched attacks on June 13, saying Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons, which it neither confirms nor denies. At least 430 people have been killed and 3,500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks, Iranian state-run Nour News said, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed and 1,272 people injured, according to local authorities.
TimesLIVE
20 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Senior Iranian official: European proposals in Geneva unrealistic
A senior Iranian official said on Saturday that proposals put forward by European powers at talks in Geneva about his country's nuclear programme were 'unrealistic', suggesting that if they stuck to them it would be difficult to reach an accord. There were few signs of progress on Friday after the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, plus the EU met their Iranian counterpart in a bid to prevent the conflict between Israel and Iran from escalating. 'The discussions and proposals made by the Europeans in Geneva were unrealistic. Insisting on these positions will not bring Iran and Europe closer to an agreement,' the senior official told Reuters, while speaking on condition of anonymity. 'In any case, Iran will review the European proposals in Tehran and present its responses in the next meeting,' the official said. Both sides signalled on Friday their readiness to keep talking, though no new date was set. European diplomats said Friday's talks had been aimed at testing Tehran's willingness to negotiate a new nuclear deal despite there being no obvious prospect of Israel halting its attacks soon. While neither side disclosed details of what was put forward, two European diplomats said the E3 did not believe that Israel would accept a ceasefire in the near term and that it would be difficult for Iran and the US to resume negotiations. They said the idea was to begin a parallel negotiating track, initially without the US, on a new deal that would involve tougher inspections, including potentially of Iran's ballistic missile programme, while allowing Tehran some notional uranium enrichment capacity. French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday spoke with his Iranian counterpart and said the two sides had agreed to accelerate negotiations, though he insisted it was up to Iran 'to provide every assurance that its intentions are peaceful'. Despite some European ministers suggesting on Friday that Iran was more ready to talk about issues beyond the nuclear programme, the senior official dismissed the possibility of negotiating its defensive capabilities, including its missile programme, and repeated that the idea of zero enrichment of uranium was a dead end. 'Iran welcomes diplomacy but not under the shadow of war,' the official said.
