Despite several cases of dual nationals imprisoned in Iran still being open, another person has been added to this list: Abbas Adalat, a mathematics and computer science professor at Imperial College London and an activist against sanctions and war against Iran. According to information on the website of the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, Abbas Adalat has been considered a visiting professor at this institute since around 1990, which is 28 years ago. While Mohammad Javad Larijani manages the institute, Abbas Adalat has participated as a guest in various seminars of this scientific foundation over the years and has also served as an advisor for PhD students at the institute. Now, the Human Rights Campaign in Iran has reported that the security forces of the Islamic Republic arrested Abbas Adalat on April 15. According to this report, the charges against Mr. Adalat are unclear, and the forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps took some of his belongings, including his computer, CDs, and notes, during the arrest at his home. Hadi Ghaemi, the director of the Human Rights Campaign in Iran, assesses Abbas Adalat's arrest as part of internal political disputes: "In my opinion, this is political infighting within Iran between Mr. Rouhani's government and those who oppose him, such as the judiciary and the IRGC's intelligence organization. Among Mr. Rouhani's major policies from the beginning was access to the JCPOA and welcoming the return of Iranians abroad, strongly encouraging them to come back to serve their country. We see that the IRGC's intelligence organization has targeted dual nationals to undermine this invitation policy and prevent them from playing a role in addressing challenges. This is seen with environmental activists, academic figures specializing in social issues who have returned to Iran, and like Mr. Adalat, are active in foreign affairs. Others, like Ms. Zari Ratcliffe, are completely hostages, held hostage for financial issues that Iran has with the British government. Overall, I see all these arrests as an attempt to undermine Rouhani's government and the conflict that exists between the IRGC and his administration." Abbas Adalat, in addition to teaching computer science and mathematics, had also launched a campaign against sanctions and war with Iran. Now he is trapped behind bars, and as reported by AFP, he opposes posting bail for his release because he considers himself innocent and has demanded his unconditional freedom. The British Foreign Office has also stated that it is seeking information from Iran regarding Mr. Adalat's arrest. Can Britain take effective action for the release of its citizen? Mohammad Rahbar, a journalist residing in Norway, stated: "Currently, legal avenues are closed. A foreign government must come and submit its complaint to the Iranian judiciary and appoint a lawyer who will pursue his release or see what evidence of espionage exists against him to defend him based on that. However, such actions cannot be done in Iran because the judiciary itself is essentially the legal branch of the IRGC that conducts the arrests, and they are all together, and one cannot say we have an independent judiciary that can execute justice and provide hope for a dual national to be released with a lawyer. For now, the only thing they can do is backdoor negotiations and give and take concessions. They cannot do anything else." According to the report from the International Human Rights Campaign in Iran, the IRGC has arrested and imprisoned more than thirty dual nationals since the nuclear agreement was reached two and a half years ago.
Why was Abbas Adalat arrested?
Abbas Adalat, a dual national and professor at Imperial College London, was arrested by Iranian security forces on April 15, with unclear charges against him. His arrest is seen as part of internal political struggles in Iran, particularly between President Rouhani's government and the IRGC. This incident highlights the ongoing repression of dual nationals and political dissent in Iran.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Iran arrested Abbas Adalat, a dual national and activist, amidst political tensions.
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps arrest Abbas Adalat
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seize Abbas Adalat's belongings
- Human Rights Campaign in Iran report Abbas Adalat
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The arrest of Abbas Adalat underscores the ongoing political tensions within Iran.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%