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Narges Mohammadi health fears as Iran blocks transfer to Tehran doctors
Rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was taken to hospital in Zanjan after a cardiac crisis, her foundation and family said. They warned her health is at very high risk and that Iran’s Intelligence Ministry is opposing a transfer to Tehran for treatment by her own doctors. The Norwegian Nobel Committee urged an immediate transfer.
Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned Iranian rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, faced what family and supporters called a severe medical danger on Saturday. The foundation linked to Mohammadi said Iran’s Intelligence Ministry blocked a move to Tehran for treatment. Mohammadi, in Mohammadi’s early 50s, was taken to a hospital in Zanjan on Friday after fainting and suffering a cardiac crisis.
Doctors in Zanjan asked to see Mohammadi’s medical records before starting any care, the foundation said. The same medical teams advised a transfer to Tehran for specialist treatment. Mohammadi’s Paris-based husband, Taghi Rahmani, said the Intelligence Ministry opposed the move for angiography. Rahmani’s comments came in a voice message the foundation shared with The Associated Press.
Narges Mohammadi health risk and calls for transfer
The Norwegian Nobel Committee urged Iranian authorities to move Mohammadi to Mohammadi’s medical team at once. It said Mohammadi’s condition left no room for delay. "She has the mental resilience for imprisonment, but her body does not have the readiness.\" The foundation said Mohammadi’s health had worsened, partly due to a beating during the December arrest.
Rahmani also spoke to Sky News and described fears about official intent. \"The Ministry of Intelligence wouldnt even mind if she died,\" Rahmani said. Rahmani added their children had not seen Mohammadi for over a decade, since 2015. The foundation said Mohammadi’s legal team pursued the issue with the General Prosecutor’s office.
Before the Dec 12 arrest, Mohammadi was already serving 13 years and nine months. The conviction cited collusion against state security and propaganda against Iran’s government. Mohammadi had been on furlough since late 2024 due to medical concerns. Supporters said the current hospitalisation showed the risks of keeping Mohammadi in custody.
Strait of Hormuz shipping sanctions warning and blockade
The United States warned shipping firms they could face sanctions for paying Iran for safer passage. The warning focused on the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy flows. Iran effectively closed the strait after the US and Israel began a war on Feb 28. Iran later offered some ships routes nearer its shore, sometimes for fees.
The US warning covered more than cash payments to Iran. It included digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, and other in-kind transfers. It also cited charitable donations and payments at Iranian embassies. The US has enforced a naval blockade of Iranian ports since April 13. US Central Command said on Saturday that 48 commercial ships were told to turn back.
Ceasefire talks and Strait of Hormuz plan amid Iran-US proposals
A three-week ceasefire appeared to be holding, though talks remained unclear. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, spoke by phone with counterparts in Qatar, Japan, Italy and South Korea. This followed US President Donald Trump rejecting an Iranian proposal to end the war. Iran’s IRNA said Tehran handed the proposal over on Thursday night.
Late on Saturday, Tasnim and Fars reported another step in the exchange. The two semi-official outlets said Iran sent a 14-point proposal via Pakistan. They described it as a reply to a nine-point US proposal. Trump said negotiations continued by phone after Trump called off an envoys trip to Pakistan last weekend. Trump also floated a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran hangings for Israel spying as rights groups raise trial concerns
Iran said on Saturday it hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel. Mizanonline said Yaghoub Karimpour sent sensitive information to an officer in Israel’s Mossad. It said Nasser Bekrzadeh sent details about government and religious leaders, plus information about Natanz. Natanz hosts a nuclear enrichment facility bombed by Israel and the US last year.
Authorities said more than a dozen people have been hanged in recent weeks over alleged espionage and terrorist activity. Rights groups said Iran often holds closed-door trials in such cases. They said defendants cannot properly challenge accusations made against them. The developments came as scrutiny remained high over security cases and the handling of detainees, including Narges Mohammadi.
With inputs from PTI
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