One Japanese national wey Iran authorities don hold since January don finally release on bail. Tokyo confirm the news on Tuesday, as Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara announce say them verify the release on Monday. Now, Japan dey press Iranian authorities to release the person completely.
The Japanese ambassador to Iran, Tamaki Tsukada, don meet with the person and confirm say the person health dey okay. Dem no give further details, but people dey believe say na journalist for Japan public broadcaster, NHK. This one come follow the release of another Japanese citizen for March, wey Iran hold since last June.
The announcement for Tuesday come just one day after Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and him Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, talk for phone concerning Iran conflict with United States and Israel. Japanese Foreign Ministry statement wey dem release after the talk say Mr Motegi repeat him demand for the release of the remaining detainee. Mr Araghchi say e take the request serious.
The Committee to Protect Journalists don name the person wey Iran detain for January as journalist at Japan public broadcaster NHK. CPJ talk say the NHK journalist arrest on 20 January by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and dem transfer am on 23 February to Evin Prison. Dem quote unidentified sources wey dey fear persecution.
Evin Prison, people dey call am the ‘Bastille’ of Iran, na the Islamic Republic most infamous detention facility. E be the primary prison for journalists, human rights activists, academics, dual nationals, and political prisoners wey Iranian regime detain. Other foreign nationals wey dey there include British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman, wey dem sentence to 10 years for prison for 2025 on espionage charges.
The Foremans arrest for January 2025 while dem dey on motorcycle world trip through Iran, with their detention announce by Iranian state media for February of the same year. Their family claim say dem dey use them as “human shields” amidst the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and dem criticize British government for no show enough progress on their release. Joe Bennett, Lindsay Foreman son, don describe the couple harsh living conditions for Evin Prison, including recent blast near the facility and the presence of rats and cockroaches.
For Jerusalem, Daniel De Simone dey report. For Farsi post for social media this morning, the Israel Defense Forces give wetin dem describe as “urgent warning to train users and passengers in Iran”. The “warning” suggest say Israeli airstrikes go soon happen for Iranian rail network. But internet blackout don dey for weeks for Iran, meaning say social media posts go reach very few people.
The Iranian rail network extensive and e dey run throughout the country. People go almost certainly dey travel by rail this morning, dey travel long distances, or dey located near rail stations or lines. Overnight, Israel carry out multiple airstrikes for Iran, with “regime infrastructure” describe as the target.
President Trump dey threaten to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure unless Iran fully open the Strait of Hormuz by tonight, something people dey see widely as threat to commit war crimes. Trump ignore questions about war crimes, and claim – without evidence – say Iranian people want US to “keep bombing”. But UN dey warn say airstrikes for Iran don already cause high numbers of civilian casualties and extensive damage to homes, schools and health facilities, with strikes on critical infrastructure don disrupt basic services.
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