Iranian Teenager Armita Geravand Dies after Alleged Confrontation with Officers

A view of the entrance to Evin prison in Tehran, Iran (Reuters)
A view of the entrance to Evin prison in Tehran, Iran (Reuters)
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Iranian Teenager Armita Geravand Dies after Alleged Confrontation with Officers

A view of the entrance to Evin prison in Tehran, Iran (Reuters)
A view of the entrance to Evin prison in Tehran, Iran (Reuters)

Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old Iranian girl, has died following an alleged encounter with officers over violating the country's hijab law, the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.

"Unfortunately, she went into a coma for some time after suffering from brain damage. She died a few minutes ago," IRNA reported.

Geravand had been pronounced brain dead last week after she fell into a coma on Oct 1, Reuters reported.

The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of morality police last September sparked months of anti-government protests that spiralled into the biggest show of opposition to Iranian authorities in years.

Right groups were the first to make Geravand's hospitalization public, posting photos on social media that showed her unconscious and on life support, with a respiratory tube and her head bandaged.

Iran has denied that Geravand was hurt after a confrontation on Oct. 1 with officers enforcing the mandatory Islamic dress code in the Tehran metro.

Women are required by law to cover their hair and wear long, loose-fitting clothes in Iran.

Violators face public rebuke, fines or arrest yet defying the strict Islamic dress code, more women have been appearing unveiled in public places such as restaurants and shops since Amini's death.



Kremlin Says Ukraine Peace Talks in Türkiye Are Still on, but Doesn’t Say Who Is Going 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacts as he attends a meeting between Russia's President and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Moscow on May 10, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. (AFP)
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacts as he attends a meeting between Russia's President and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Moscow on May 10, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. (AFP)
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Kremlin Says Ukraine Peace Talks in Türkiye Are Still on, but Doesn’t Say Who Is Going 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacts as he attends a meeting between Russia's President and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Moscow on May 10, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. (AFP)
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacts as he attends a meeting between Russia's President and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Moscow on May 10, 2025, during celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. (AFP)

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on Thursday for possible direct peace talks with Ukraine, but did not disclose who would be there from Moscow's side.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in the early hours of Sunday proposed direct negotiations in Türkiye on Thursday "without any preconditions," but he did not say who would attend from Moscow's side.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said he would attend the talks with Russia only if Putin is also there.

Unconfirmed Russian and US media reports have reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, will be in Istanbul and ready to meet their Ukrainian counterparts.

Asked by reporters in a daily briefing on Wednesday if the Kremlin could reveal the make-up of the Russian delegation, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We will do that when we get an instruction to do so from the president."

But Peskov said that Putin's offer of direct talks with Ukraine "remained valid."

"The Russian delegation will be waiting for the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul on May 15", Peskov said.

The planned talks have become the main focus of peace efforts led by US President Donald Trump.

Trump has said he will send Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg to the talks, while also offering to attend himself.