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Belgium Requests Iran Transfer Imprisoned Aid Worker

A poster at the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s headquarters demands the release of Olivier Vandecasteele in February. (AFP)
A poster at the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s headquarters demands the release of Olivier Vandecasteele in February. (AFP)
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Belgium Requests Iran Transfer Imprisoned Aid Worker

A poster at the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s headquarters demands the release of Olivier Vandecasteele in February. (AFP)
A poster at the Wallonia-Brussels Federation’s headquarters demands the release of Olivier Vandecasteele in February. (AFP)

Belgium submitted a request to Iran on Tuesday that jailed aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele be sent back to his country, which has agreed to a prisoner transfer treaty with Iran.

Belgian Vandecasteele was arrested on a visit to Iran in February 2022 and sentenced in January to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes on charges including spying.

Belgium's justice minister has said he was convicted "for a fabricated series of crimes" and in retribution for a 20-year jail term given to an Iranian diplomat in 2021 over a foiled bomb plot.

Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib said she had informed her Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian of the “transfer request for our compatriot Olivier Vandecasteele.”

"I denounced his conditions of detention and requested a visit by our ambassador in Iran," she said.

The family of Vandecasteele recently said he was being held in solitary confinement and complained that "he could no longer sleep and could barely stand up straight because of excruciating muscle and nerve pain."

"His life is at stake: the lack of concrete action and quick results could put Olivier in an irreparable situation."

Iran has said it is open to a prisoner swap, indicating it would seek the return of the diplomat Assadollah Assadi, the first Iranian official to face trial for suspected terrorism in Europe since Iran's 1979 revolution.

The treaty's implementation was postponed due to legal challenges submitted by the Iranian opposition “People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran”.

In July last year, Belgium and Iran signed a prisoner-swap treaty that Brussels viewed as a path to free Vandecasteele, and the opposers viewed as a path to free Assadi.

Belgium's Constitutional Court suspended the treaty in December to look into its legality.

The Court rejected in March a challenge by the Iranian opposition but warned that in case the Iranian convict was transferred to his country then the Belgian government should make sure the rule is appealable.

Belgium submitted the official request to send Vandecasteele back to his country when the treaty became effective.

A foreign ministry spokesperson did not reply when asked if the Belgian transfer request was seen as leading to a prisoner exchange.

For its part, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Development Cooperation didn’t comment on a question about whether Iran officially requested handing over Assadi.

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Tehran Ready for Negotiations with Washington ‘Based on Trust’

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)
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Tehran Ready for Negotiations with Washington ‘Based on Trust’

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani. (Jamaran news)

The Iranian government stated on Tuesday that upcoming negotiations in Geneva over its nuclear program will be guided by the directives of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the interests of the Iranian people.

Iran plans to hold talks on Friday in Geneva with France, Britain and Germany, following a recent resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) censuring Tehran for its lack of cooperation on its nuclear activities.

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani confirmed that the meeting between Iran’s deputy foreign minister and representatives from the three European nations will proceed under the framework of “national interests as emphasized by the Supreme Leader.” She noted that discussions will encompass bilateral, regional and international issues, including the crises in Gaza and Lebanon and broader efforts to promote peace in the region.

Asked about the possibility of direct negotiations with the United States, Mohajerani stated that Tehran is “open to considering any proposal aligned with its national interests.” However, she stressed that “dialogue requires respect and trust, which cannot be built through mere rhetoric.”

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister for International Affairs, will lead the Iranian delegation at the Geneva talks, according to Iranian media.

Media outlets close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expressed cautious optimism about the Geneva talks, but tempered expectations. The IRGC-affiliated Nour News described the meeting as a “small but significant opportunity for both sides to find common ground and reduce unnecessary tensions that have strained their relations in recent years.”

Both Iran and its European counterparts appear inclined to pursue de-escalation and resume diplomatic channels to resolve disputes, it reported. Analysts quoted by the site characterized the talks as “an essential step in rebuilding trust between Iran and Europe.” If sustained, these efforts could end the two-year stalemate in negotiations over the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The IAEA’s Board of Governors recently passed a resolution urging Iran to increase its cooperation with the agency. The resolution called for the IAEA Director General to deliver “a comprehensive and updated assessment on the possible presence or use of undeclared nuclear materials in connection with Iran’s past and current nuclear activities.”

Western powers, including the United States, France, Britain and Germany, dismissed Iran’s last-minute proposal to limit its stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium—close to weapons-grade—as “inadequate and insincere.”

In response, Iran announced the activation of advanced centrifuges at its Fordow and Natanz uranium enrichment facilities.

Despite the heightened tensions, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei underscored Tehran’s commitment to a policy of engagement and cooperation. He framed the upcoming talks as a continuation of discussions held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Iranian media claimed that Tehran has refrained from actions that could complicate negotiations in recent months. However, they accused European powers of taking “unconstructive measures” that have hindered the diplomatic process.