Iranian Arrested after Attacking Tehran Embassy in Copenhagen

Iran embassy in Copenhagen - File Photo/AAWSAT
Iran embassy in Copenhagen - File Photo/AAWSAT
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Iranian Arrested after Attacking Tehran Embassy in Copenhagen

Iran embassy in Copenhagen - File Photo/AAWSAT
Iran embassy in Copenhagen - File Photo/AAWSAT

An Iranian armed with a knife who tried to enter Iran's embassy in Copenhagen was arrested on Friday, Danish police said, as Tehran's mission criticized officers' slow response, claiming targeted the ambassador.

“He entered the embassy, ​​spread terror (…) and damaged the cars in the parking lot,” Iran’s ambassador Asfaneh Nadipour said in a statement, AFP reported.

"A 32-year-old Iranian citizen was arrested Friday morning after having breached the grounds of the Iranian embassy in Copenhagen carrying a knife," Copenhagen police affirmed in a statement on Friday.

The Iranian foreign ministry "strongly criticised" the Danish police response.

"It is regrettable that in the heart of Europe, such an attack can be perpetrated against a woman and ambassador who enjoys diplomatic immunity, and that the police are not at the scene in time," it said in a statement.

The suspect will on Saturday be brought before a judge, who will decide if he should remain in pre-trial detention. The police said the Iranian man is accused of vandalism, violence and an offence against a person protected by diplomatic status.

Iran has faced three weeks of protests since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in custody following her arrest in Tehran by the morality police. There have been rallies worldwide in solidarity with Amini.



Iran Says 5 Inmates at Evin Prison Were Killed in Israel's Airstrike on Tehran

Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
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Iran Says 5 Inmates at Evin Prison Were Killed in Israel's Airstrike on Tehran

Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)

An Israeli airstrike on Iran's capital last month killed five inmates at Evin prison and resulted in the escape of several others, Iranian media reported Saturday.

The semi-official ILNA news agency and other Iranian media quoted a spokesman for Iran’s judiciary that the five inmates killed in the June 23 strike had been convicted on financial offences. The spokesman didn't name the victims or give any further details.

The judiciary’s own news website, Mizanonline quoted spokesman Asghar Jahangir as saying only that “small number" of inmates were killed. He added that an “insignificant number of inmates” had also escaped and that authorities would soon bring them back into custody, AFP reported.

Jahangir said no one serving time at Evin prison for working with Israel's spy agency Mossad was injured in the attack.

Iranian authorities last month put the death toll from the airstrike at 71. But Iranian media later raised that number to 80 including staff, soldiers, inmates and visiting family members.

It's unclear why Israel targeted the prison. The Israeli Defense Ministry had said on the day of the airstrikes that 50 aircraft dropped 100 munitions on military targets “based on high-quality and accurate intelligence from the Intelligence Branch.”

The New York-based Center for Human Rights had criticized Israel for striking the prison - seen as a symbol of repression of any opposition - saying it violated the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets.

The 12-day air war left more than 1,060 dead in Iran and 28 dead in Israel.