By Nahid Poureisa 

The arrest and incarceration of Iranian academic Mahdieh Esfandiari in France is not an isolated incident but reveals a consistent and deliberate pattern of politically motivated crackdown against those who dare to speak up for truth and justice. 

This pattern goes beyond censorship. It exposes the double standards in France’s approach to free speech: weaponized to serve the Empire and suppressed when used by the marginalized.

Back in 2015, the publication of blasphemous cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by the controversial magazine Charlie Hebdo sparked massive outrage across the Muslim world. 

Rather than acknowledging it and taking remedial measures, French President Emmanuel Macron came out in defense of the magazine’s “freedom of expression,” presenting satire and free speech as sacred French values, even at the cost of hurting the religious sentiments of billions of Muslims, including those inside his own country.

Fast forward to 2022: Masih Alinejad, a US-based rabble-rouser sponsored by the anti-Iran American lobby to orchestrate smear campaigns and spread disinformation aimed at destabilizing Iran, was very warmly received at the Élysée Palace. 

Macron praised her role in fomenting riots in Iran, which he called a “revolution,” and publicly supported the so-called “freedom” for Iranian women. This was a clear signal of France’s strategic alignment in a broader hybrid war that seeks to psychologically and culturally undermine the Islamic Republic from within.

Now, in 2025, Esfandiari’s case plays out in the shadows of the same geopolitical theater. 

She was suddenly arrested three months ago over a Telegram post expressing support for Palestine – her only “crime” being the defense of an oppressed people enduring nearly 20 months of genocidal war. 

Without official summons or legal warrant, French police raided her home and subjected her to harsh treatment and harassment before arresting her.

At the same time, controversial Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was being honored at the Cannes Film Festival, not for confronting power or injustice or speaking against genocide, but for crafting narratives that fit comfortably within Western geopolitical interests. 

As Gaza suffers under Israeli-American bombardment, Panahi’s focus on Iran portrays the nation that is actively resisting the Zionist entity as the villain, conveniently redirecting global attention from real human rights abuses and their perpetrators. 

This contrast exposes a system that punishes those who speak for truth and justice and rewards those who align with Western strategic narratives.

Press TV website reached out to Bashir Biazar, a prominent Iranian music maestro who was also arrested in France last year over his pro-Palestine advocacy work. 

He spoke about how the French government systematically targets supporters of Palestine, labeling them as terrorists and framing them under bogus charges. 

Biazar was detained for a month over a little-seen Instagram post. France accused him of promoting terrorism. He said the charge was “unbelievable and shocking” and difficult for him to even comprehend.

According to Biazar, France is at the forefront of repressing those who support the Palestinian cause amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza that has claimed the lives of more than 54,000 since October 2023, most of them children and women.

He explained that these arrests and aggressive measures have no legal justification. That’s why there is never a proper judicial process—no formal charges, court hearings, legal pathways, and accountability. 

The arrests happen suddenly, Biazar told the Press TV website, usually through early morning police raids that break down doors and terrorize residents.

This is exactly how Esfandiari was arrested, he added. There was no warning and no legal notice. For days, she didn’t answer her phone. Concerned friends visited her home but got no response. With help from firefighters, they forced entry and found her apartment ransacked.

Esfandiari was gone. The scene resembled a kidnapping. For nearly five weeks, there was no information about her whereabouts until a news report revealed her detention. 

Biazar, who has closely followed the case, case Esfandiari had no communication with her family, and the Iranian embassy was also kept in the dark. Even her lawyer faced extreme obstacles. It took 50 days before he was finally allowed to meet her.

The French government wants to keep these cases out of the legal system because they are politically motivated, he noted, drawing on his own bitter experience in the country.

"These actions align with the interests of the Zionist regime, with full support from the French government. The charges are almost always the same: accusations of supporting terrorism. That alone shows this is not a legal matter – it is a political one," Biazar told the Press TV website.

He said France claims to be the cradle of freedom of expression, and the French Revolution’s slogan championed free speech. However, during the Charlie Hebdo incident, even after the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) was repeatedly insulted, Macron said he understood why Muslims were upset but insisted that freedom of expression was France’s red line.

He fully backed the so-called "free speech," even if it offended billions of Muslims worldwide. 

"But now, after the Al-Aqsa Flood, any condemnation of the genocide in Gaza, even just expressing it online, is being dealt with most harshly by the French government. They are suppressing it completely," he stated, exposing the hypocrisy of "free speech" in the European country. 

"Mahdieh Esfandiari’s charge is simply defending Palestine via her Telegram channel. Her only “crime” is defending Palestine. This is a disgrace for France."

The French government knows that if this case goes to court, there is no evidence, Biazar hastened to add, and that’s why they operate in secrecy, more like a "mafia kidnapping operation." 

"This secrecy proves the whole process is political. For 40 days, the French government kept her detention hidden. There is only a political solution: this hostage-taking must be shouted about in global media, and political pressure must be applied on France to free Mahdieh Esfandiari."

These arrests, he remarked, achieve nothing except further embarrassing the French government.

"History will never forget the supporters of genocide. The bitter irony is inescapable: France, the proclaimed cradle of freedom of expression, enforces one of the cruelest paradoxes in modern times. Freedom exists only when serving Western interests," said Biazar.

"Genuine calls for justice, liberation, and resistance are swiftly crushed, especially when voiced by Iran or Palestine supporters. France’s large Muslim population, which mourns and condemns the ongoing genocide in Gaza, faces harsh repression if they raise their voices."

Just days ago, Esfandiari’s sister finally broke her silence. In her first interview, she revealed the harsh conditions Mahdieh is enduring in a French prison. She said Mahdieh is being forced to remove her hijab – where is her freedom in that? 

For a Muslim woman who has worn hijab her entire life, such coercion is a form of psychological torture and a breach of the most fundamental right. She is being denied her most basic human rights and imprisoned alongside criminals, only because of her human and political beliefs. 

Defending Mahdieh is not just about one woman’s freedom. It is about standing up against widespread political repression that punishes people for speaking the truth. 

From Macron’s defense of offensive cartoons to his support for "regime change" charade in Iran, from covert arrests to the celebration of politically convenient artists, France’s selective use of “freedom” paints a disturbing picture. 

It shows a country that manipulates the idea of free speech and weaponizes it to suit its interests, silencing voices of conscience while rewarding those who serve its agenda. 

The campaign to free Mahdieh Esfandiari is a stand against this blatant hypocrisy, a call to justice for Palestine, and to be on the right side of history.

Press TV’s website

A senior Iranian Army commander has warned that the Islamic Republic will inflict “beyond imagination” damage to enemies if they engage in any kind of aggression against the country.

“We have a duty to be fully prepared against any threat, and we are completely ready,” Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, deputy chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination, said on Monday.

“Anyone who seeks to violate the territorial integrity and interests of our country can be assured that the damage they will incur will be beyond their imagination,” he stated.

Last month, a US report, citing multiple officials, said Washington obtained new intelligence suggesting that the Israeli regime has been moving air munitions and conducting air exercises, signaling a heightened state of readiness.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to urgently condemn the leaked plan of “rogue” Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The report came while Iran and the US were engaged in indirect talks over the Islamic Republic’s peaceful nuclear program.

Iran and the US have so far held five rounds of indirect talks on a replacement for the 2015 nuclear deal, which was derailed by the American withdrawal in 2018.

However, the talks have faced an obstacle over the US demand for Iran to stop enriching uranium under any new deal.

Iran says it will not forgo its right to uranium enrichment, which is guaranteed under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the NPT.

‘Iran self-sufficient, exports military equipment’

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sayyari stressed that Iran has managed to manufacture weapons and ammunition domestically, despite the sanctions.

Today, “by relying on our domestic capabilities, we meet our needs”, he said.

The senior commander noted that Iran domestically produces more than 90% of the military equipment needed by the armed forces, adding "We have not only become self-sufficient in securing our equipment, but are also active in the field of military equipment exports."

Press TV’s website

The head of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has hailed Iran’s comprehensive and complex operation targeting Israeli nuclear sites as an “intelligence masterpiece” that deals another massive blow to the Zionist regime.

Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi made the remarks on Monday, two days after the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported that Iran’s intelligence apparatus has obtained a vast trove of strategic and sensitive documents related to the clandestine Israeli nuclear program, including records of plans and facilities.

On Sunday, Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib said the materials had been transferred under heavy secrecy to Iran and would be published soon.

In a congratulatory message sent to Khatib, Kazemi said the the “delicate” intelligence operation showed the capability of Iranian intelligence and security apparatuses in protecting the achievements of the Islamic Revolution, dealing a blow to Iran's sworn enemies, and ensuring the security of the beloved nation.

The operation, he added, served as another proof of the weakness of the criminal Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Undoubtedly, intelligence experts around the world admit that infiltrating into the intelligence structures of the usurping regime with a very limited geography …, whose leaders spend unlimited budgets to make their security appear inviolable, is an intelligence masterpiece,” Kazemi stated.

Recently, Israel’s Shin Bet spy agency reported an increase in Iranian-directed intelligence operations in the occupied territories, with dozens of Israeli settlers arrested for working on Iran’s behalf.

Press TV’s website

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) says the country will hit Israel’s secret nuclear facilities if the regime carries out any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

In a statement on Monday, the SNSC said the complex intelligence operation by the Iranian forces and their significant achievement were a principal part of a smart plan and covert acts of the sacred Islamic establishment in the face of the enemies' propaganda.

Another major section of the plan included the Armed Forces’ relentless efforts to establish operational balance proportionate to weaknesses and strengths of the occupying Zionist regime and its supporters, it added.

The SNSC said the complete Israeli target list is on the table of the Armed Forces, and that the regime's clandestine nuclear facilities will be targeted if it carries out any act of aggression.

Pointing to the trove of secret Israeli documents Iran has recently obtained, the SNSC said access to such information and the completion of the intelligence and operational cycle have boosted the capabilities of the Iranian forces.

Today, the statement said, the Iranian forces are able to “respond immediately to any potential aggression by the Zionist regime against the country's nuclear facilities by attacking its hidden nuclear facilities.”

They can also counter any malicious act against Iran’s economic and military infrastructure proportional to the type of aggression, the statement said.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on June 7 that Iran’s intelligence apparatus had obtained a vast trove of strategic and sensitive documents related to the clandestine Israeli nuclear program, including records of plans and facilities.

On Sunday, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib of Iran said the materials had been transferred under heavy secrecy to Iran and would be published soon.

Israel, widely regarded as one of the large possessors of nuclear weapons, launched its nuclear program in 1952 with technological support from France and the United States.

The first known nuclear weapons were developed by the regime around 1967-1968, according to various military think tanks. After that, the production accelerated rapidly, without any outcry.

In 1986, a technician at the Dimona nuclear facility, Mordechai Vanunu, exposed the regime's clandestine nuclear program, for which he in 1988 was convicted of treason and sentenced to 18 years.

Press TV’s website

According to the Hajj and Pilgrimage Information Center; Pilgrims will soon begin to depart for the holy sites and spend the most spiritual and beautiful moments of their lives during the days of Tashreeq and fill their backpacks with spirituality and faith. In the meantime, some points and executive measures taken are important.

Akbar Rezaei, Director of Hajj Operations for Tamattu 1404, said about the latest process of executive planning during the days of Tashreeq and the services intended to transfer our country's pilgrims to the holy sites: All arrangements have been made, including setting up tents in Arafat and Mina and preparing the pilgrims' settlement area in Mashaar Al-Haram; setting up tents, providing a cooling system, preparing public spaces and other necessary preparations for accommodating pilgrims have been prepared, and the necessary studies have been carried out to eliminate the weaknesses of previous years.

He stated that the operation of transporting pilgrims to the holy sites is carried out using a regular transportation system and with a precise schedule, and said: The operation of transporting pilgrims to the holy sites through regular transportation is carried out in 6 stages, which is one of the largest and most important processes of the Hajj operation, and the caravans and pilgrims must have the necessary cooperation in these stages.

Referring to the precise planning for the presence of pilgrims in Arafat, Mash'ar and Mina, the Director of Hajj Operations for 1404 stated: The process of transferring from Arafat to Mina, as well as the departure of pilgrims from Mina to Jamarat on the tenth, eleventh and twelfth days and the throwing of Jamarat, has been prepared in accordance with the instructions and schedule. Therefore, it is recommended that pilgrims travel according to the specified hours and must travel with the caravan.

According to Rezaei, if pilgrims lose their way in the holy shrines, the guides' unit with yellow covers and the company's personnel contracted by the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization will have a strong and continuous presence on the route and will help those who need guidance.

Other points that the Hajj Operations Manager emphasized were: observing hygiene by men when performing "halq" on Eid al-Adha, performing "halq" in designated places due to the two-story restrooms, avoiding traveling during hot hours of the day, carrying water and liquids when leaving for Jamarat, keeping the school number of the location, having the hotel name and caravan number during the days of Tashreeq, traveling in a caravan, carrying a Nask ID card, putting personal information stickers on their mobile phones, and taking care of each other during rest periods due to the per capita accommodation restrictions.

Referring to the per capita accommodation space in the holy sites and the geographical restrictions that exist for pilgrims from all countries, he said: "Pilgrims from all countries are familiar with these per capita accommodation restrictions, so dear Iranian pilgrims are advised to interact and cooperate with each other with patience during these days so that we can overcome the current conditions in a dignified manner, because each pilgrim has about 90 square centimeters of accommodation space in Mina and 1 meter and 30 square centimeters in Arafat."

The Yemeni army carried out a fresh retaliatory operation against Israel in response to the regime’s genocidal war in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Yemeni Armed Forces said in a statement on Monday night that they carried out a military operation targeting Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied area of Yaffa using a "Zulfiqar" ballistic missile.

“The operation successfully achieved its goal, thanks to Allah, forcing four million Zionists to flee to shelters and halting air traffic at the airport,” it added.

The Yemeni Armed Forces said they are closely monitoring the developments in Gaza, standing in reverence and respect for the sacrifices of its steadfast people.

“They extend their Arab and Islamic jihadist military salute to the Al-Qassam Brigades and the Al-Quds Brigades, and to all the heroic mujahideen in all factions who defend the nation when everyone else has abandoned them,” the forces said.

The statement added that the Yemeni armed forces will continue their anti-regime operations until the aggression against Gaza stops, and its siege is lifted.

The Yemeni army carries out almost daily operations against Israel, striking targets deep inside the occupied Palestinian territories.

Hours before, the Israeli military said a ballistic missile from Yemen had triggered sirens across the Israeli-occupied territories.

The army announced in a statement that air raid sirens were activated in the central part, the al-Quds area, several illegal West Bank settlements, as well as some areas in the southern sector of the occupied lands on Monday evening.

The military claimed that its anti-air missile systems “intercepted” the projectile.

As the genocidal war on Gaza escalated, the Yemenis enforced a strategic blockade on essential maritime routes, intending to obstruct the delivery of military supplies to Israel and urge the international community to take action regarding the ongoing humanitarian emergency in Gaza.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have declared they will not stop their assaults unless Israel ceases its ground and aerial offensives in Gaza.

Press TV’s website

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has underlined Iran’s continued support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid continued Israeli violations.

The top diplomat made the remarks after deplaning at the city’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Tuesday, where he arrived following a visit to Egypt.

“Today, I will meet with senior Lebanese officials,” he told reporters, adding that Iran was “determined to keep up these [bilateral] relations based on mutual respect and the mutual interests between the two countries.”

The official underscored that Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty continued to bear much significance for the Islamic Republic and the broader West Asia region by extension.

“We have supported Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at every stage,” he said, pledging continued backing on the part of Tehran for such imperatives “in the face of the Zionist regime [of Israel]’s occupation.”

Iran’s continued adherence to non-interference principle

Araghchi, however, clarified that the Islamic Republic’s support for Lebanon should not be misconstrued as a means of political interference.

“This, of course, means the support of a friendly country for its friends in Lebanon,” he stated. “It, by no means, constitutes interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.”

“No country in the region has the right to interfere in the internal affairs of other regional countries,” he further underlined, backing up his assertion.

Iran’s reaffirmation of support for Lebanon follows a recent escalation in Israeli military aggression against the nation.

On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes on a residential building in Beirut’s southern suburbs killed several civilians, including an official with the country’s Hezbollah resistance movement and his son.

Iranian officials swiftly condemned the attack as a grave violation of international law.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denounced the Israeli regime for breaching a November 2024 ceasefire deal “over 2,000 times” and denounced the inaction of international guarantors.

“This proves their (the international players’) promises lack credibility,” he said, also criticizing the United Nations Security Council for remaining silent on the “heinous crimes” being committed against Lebanon.

Baghaei further said the United States and its Western allies were complicit in the Israeli aggression, referring to the countries’ ongoing robust military, political, and intelligence backing for the regime that had significantly enabled it to subject regional nations to its atrocities.

In the face of international inertia and the regime’s empowerment by its allies, the spokesman urged regional states to adopt firmer stances against Tel Aviv’s no-holds-barred policies.

The Israeli violations take place while the regime and Hezbollah reached the ceasefire in late November 2024 in the hope of ending Tel Aviv’s intensified deadly attacks against the country.

The attacks had begun the previous year, simultaneously with the onset of the regime’s genocidal war on Gaza.

The intensified strikes claimed the lives of around 4,000 people in Lebanon, including senior members of Hezbollah that have been defending the country in the face of the regime’s acts of military adventurism.

Press TV’s website

The head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization announced the completion of the operation to transport Iranian pilgrims to the Land of Revelation in the coming hours and said: The last flight of pilgrims will arrive at Jeddah Airport this evening, June 10, with 300 passengers, and the operation to send 86,700 of our country's pilgrims to Saudi Arabia will end.

According to the Hajj and Pilgrimage Information Center; Alireza Bayat, stating that the flight of Iranian pilgrims for Hajj Tamattu to the Land of Revelation began on May 15, announced: A total of 347 flights were made from different provinces of our country to the three airports of Medina, Jeddah and Taif, of which 80% of the transfer volume was carried out by our country's airline and 20% by the Saudi fleet.

He pointed out that the average flight delay in this year's expeditions was less than 7 minutes and said: This arrangement is a very positive event compared to previous years, as we were able to create greater satisfaction for pilgrims by using limited foreign airlines and reducing pressure on the domestic fleet.

Referring to the departure of the last group of Iranian pilgrims present in Medina to Mecca, the head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization said: "Tomorrow night, June 11, our last convoy will depart for Mecca by the Haramain train, and the "Medina Qabal" operation will end, and 86,700 Iranian pilgrims in the form of 585 convoys in the city of Mecca will prepare to enter the days of Tashreeq and attend the holy ceremonies."

Alireza Bayat, attending the meeting of ministers and heads of Hajj of Islamic countries in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, met with the Minister of Hajj and Umrah of the host country and presented the latest demands of our country to provide services to Iranian pilgrims in the holy places.

According to the Hajj and Umrah Information Center; This morning, Sunday, June 1, Alireza Bayat, the head of the Hajj and Umrah Organization of our country, met with "Tawfiq bin Fawzan bin Muhammad al-Rabi'ah", the Minister of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia, and participated in the meeting of ministers and heads of Hajj of Islamic countries in Jeddah.

In this ceremony, the officials of the host country, while announcing the latest status of the presence of pilgrims from the Islamic world, reviewed the guidelines and executive recommendations for holding the Hajj rituals in the coming days with the representatives of the countries present, and the opinions of the members were discussed and examined.

In this meeting, Alireza Bayat followed up on the latest needs and requests of Iranian pilgrims in the holy places from Saudi officials and made the necessary coordination with the host country.

According to the Hajj and Pilgrimage Information Center, Hamid Reza Mohammadi, head of the Medina headquarters, said about the services provided to the pilgrims of "Previous Medina": "Thank God, the transfer of the pilgrims of "Previous Medina" was completed on the 15th of May, and about 48,500 people entered the city of the Prophet in 337 convoys with 208 flights, and after 5 days of presence, they were transferred to Mecca by the Haramain train."

Referring to the accommodation of the pilgrims in the city of Medina, he added: 19 hotels, all of which were located near the Prophet's Shrine and Baqi' Paradise, were the accommodation places for the dear pilgrims, who could reach the Prophet's Shrine in less than 5 minutes.

Regarding the number of pilgrims visiting religious sites in Medina, Mohammadi said: The pilgrimage to the Quba Mosque, Zouqbaltin, and the Uhud Cemetery was planned for the third day of the pilgrims' presence, and in this process, all pilgrims visited the pilgrimage, and 1,200 zero-kilometer buses served the pilgrims in this regard.

Regarding the issue of the Holy Shrine, Mohammadi also said: All pilgrims from our country visited the shrine in Medina before, of course, some pilgrims took turns by registering in the Nask, and after a few days, with the assistance of the host country and the provision of conditions, the shrine was taken in groups.

Mohammadi considered the process of feeding and supplies in Medina to be satisfactory and stated: Our two kitchens with about 50 skilled and capable personnel have been responsible for cooking and distributing 703,000 meals, and services to pilgrims in "Medina after" will also continue.

Regarding the timing of the arrival of pilgrims to "Medina" later, the head of the Medina headquarters announced: "The Medina operation before will end this evening, Sunday, June 11, with the departure of 1,930 pilgrims to Mecca, and the Medina operation after will begin after the days of Tashreeq on June 20 and will continue until July 4, and we will have flights for pilgrims to return to the country from June 15 to July 9."