Iran hangs three more accused of spying as fears grow for Swede

Iran on Wednesday hanged three men convicted of spying for Israel after what activists decried as an unfair trial, bringing to six the number of people executed on such charges since the start of the war between the Islamic republic and Israel.The hangings have also amplified fears for the life of Swedish-Iranian dual national Ahmadreza Djalali who has been on death row for seven-and-a-half years after being convicted of spying for Israel which his family vehemently denies.The executions also bring to nine the number of people executed by Iran on espionage charges since the start of 2025, with activists accusing the Islamic republic of using capital punishment as a means to instil fear in society.Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul and Azad Shojai were executed earlier Wednesday in the northwestern city of Urmia, the judiciary said, the day after a truce between the Islamic republic and Israel came into effect.They had “attempted to import equipment into the country to carry out assassinations,” it added.Iran had executed three other men accused of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict on June 13, in separate hangings on June 16, June 22 and June 23.”The Islamic Republic sentenced Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, and Azad Shojai to death without a fair trial and based on confessions obtained under torture, accusing them of espionage,” Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), told AFP.He said Ali and Shojai were two border porters — known locally as kolbar — who carry goods over the border. “They were arrested on charges of smuggling alcoholic beverages but were forced to confess to espionage for Israel,” he said. Ali and Shojai were members of Iran’s Kurdish minority while Rasoul, while also Kurdish, was an Iraqi national.- ‘Imminent risk’ -He warned that in the coming weeks the lives of “hundreds” more prisoners sentenced to death were at risk. “After the ceasefire with Israel, the Islamic republic needs more repression to cover up military failures, prevent protests, and ensure its continued survival.”Djalali was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to death in October 2017 on charges of spying following what Amnesty International has termed “a grossly unfair trial” based on “‘forced confessions’ made under torture and other ill-treatment.”Long held in Tehran’s Evin prison, which was hit by an Israeli strike on Monday before the truce, he has now been transferred to an unknown location, raising fears that his execution could be imminent, his family and government said.”He called me and said, ‘They’re going to transfer me.’ I asked where, and he said, ‘I don’t know,'” his wife Vida Mehrannia told AFP. “Is it because they want to carry out the sentence? Or for some other reason? I don’t know,” she said, adding that she was “very worried” following the latest executions.The Swedish foreign ministry said it had received information that he has been moved to an “unknown location” and warned there would be “serious consequences” for Sweden’s relationship with Iran were he to be executed.Amnesty International said Tuesday it was “gravely concerned” that he “is at imminent risk of execution”.- ‘Grossly unfair trials’ -Rights groups say defendants in espionage cases are often convicted under vaguely-worded charges which are capital crimes under Iran’s sharia law including “enmity against god” and “corruption on earth”.Analysts say that Israel’s intelligence service Mossad has deeply penetrated Iran, as shown by its ability to locate and kill key members of the Iranian security forces in the conflict. But rights groups say that those executed are used as scapegoats to make up for Iran’s failure to catch the actual spies.Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei had ordered swift trials against people suspected of collaborating with Israel with rights groups saying dozens of people have been arrested since the conflict started. “A rush to execute people after torture-tainted ‘confessions’ and grossly unfair trials would be a horrifying abuse of power and a blatant assault on the right to life,” said Hussein Baoumi, deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.According to IHR, Iran has executed 594 people on all charges this year alone. Iran executes more people every year than any nation other than China.

Upstart socialist stuns former governor in NYC mayoral primary

Young self-declared socialist Zohran Mamdani was on the cusp of stunning victory Wednesday in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary — pummeling his scandal-scarred establishment rival in a race seen as a fight for the future of the Democratic Party.Results were not yet final. But Mamdani — who is just 33 and would become the city’s first Muslim mayor — had such a commanding lead that his biggest rival, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, conceded defeat overnight. Mamdani’s success was seen as a rebuke to Democratic centrists who backed the powerful Cuomo, as the party flails nationally in search of a way to counter Republican President Donald Trump’s hard-right movement.The Ugandan-born Mamdani was behind Cuomo in polls until near the end, surging on a message of lower rents, free daycare and other populist ideas in the notoriously expensive US city.”Tonight we made history,” he said in a victory speech to supporters. New Yorkers “have stood up for a city they can afford.”Cuomo, a 67-year-old political veteran vying to come back from a sexual harassment scandal, told supporters: “Tonight was not our night.””I called him, I congratulated him,” he said.Mamdani had taken 43 percent of the vote with 95 percent of ballots counted, according to city officials. Cuomo was at around 36 percent and appeared to have no chance to catch his rival.However, the contest is ranked-choice, with voters asked to select five candidates in order of preference. When no candidate wins 50 percent of the vote outright, election officials start the time consuming process of eliminating the lowest-ranking candidates and retabulating.- Prime Trump target? -Cuomo had big money and near universal name recognition in the city, as a former governor and son of another governor.However, he was weighed down by having quit in disgrace four years ago after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. He was also accused of mismanaging the state’s response to the Covid pandemic.Even so, Mamdani’s success was stunning.The son of Indian-origin immigrants, he is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America party — the kind of niche, leftist affiliation that many Democratic leaders believe their party needs to shed.The fact that Mamdani speaks out for Palestinians and has accused Israel of “genocide” also makes him a prime target for Trump, a fellow New Yorker.His supporters include two favorite Trump foils — fiery leftist Senator Bernie Sanders and progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who both congratulated Mamdani.”Billionaires and lobbyists poured millions against you and our public finance system. And you won,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. Sanders posted: “You took on the political, economic and media Establishment — and you beat them.”Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, called Mamdani “too extreme for a city already on edge.” And Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, told New Yorkers “who are not Communists: Come to Texas!”- Big ideas, low experience -Currently a New York state assemblyman representing the borough of Queens, Mamdani’s eye-catching policy proposals include freezing rent for many New Yorkers, free bus service, and universal childcare.In a city where a three-bedroom apartment can easily cost $6,000 a month, his message struck a chord.Voter Eamon Harkin, 48, said prices were his “number one issue.””What’s at stake is primarily the affordability of New York,” he said.But Sheryl Stein, who works in tourism marketing, was skeptical.”I like youth,” she said. But Mamdani having “no experience and no proven track record to run the largest city in this country and one of the largest in the world is pretty scary.”The confirmed winner will face several contenders in November, including current Mayor Eric Adams, who is a Democrat but has vowed to run again as an independent.

Wall Street reprend son souffle, surveille la trêve entre l’Iran et Israël

La Bourse de New York a ouvert sans direction claire mercredi, marquant une pause après deux séances de gains et gardant un œil attentif sur le cessez-le-feu entre l’Iran et Israël.  Dans les premiers échanges, le Dow Jones était proche de l’équilibre (-0,03%), l’indice Nasdaq avançait de 0,51% et l’indice élargi S&P 500 grappillait 0,19%.

La Poste: en l’absence de nouveau PDG, Philippe Wahl reste à la présidence

Le PDG sortant de La Poste Philippe Wahl, dont le mandat s’achevait, va rester pour l’instant à la présidence du conseil d’administration du groupe public, après avoir été reconduit mercredi à cette fonction pour un intérim, l’Elysée s’étant mis hors délai pour proposer un nom à sa succession.Il y a plusieurs candidats officiels à la succession de M. Wahl dont le mandat de PDG s’est achevé le 25 juin pour raison d’âge, mais en l’absence de fumée blanche à l’Elysée, La Poste a décidé mercredi de nommer une gouvernance de transition “afin de garantir la continuité du fonctionnement des organes dirigeants”, justifie-t-elle dans un communiqué.La direction opérationnelle du groupe a elle été confiée à Philippe Bajou, secrétaire général et directeur général adjoint du groupe, qui y a débuté sa carrière en 1982.Il revient à Emmanuel Macron de proposer un nom pour la succession à la direction d’une telle grande entreprise publique, cette proposition devant être soumise par la suite à approbation parlementaire.Problème: comme le président n’a toujours pas émis de souhait, l’exécutif s’est mis “hors délai”, notamment au regard de l’agenda parlementaire, relève une source proche du dossier interrogée par l’AFP. Selon les statuts de La Poste, il est alors possible dans ce cas de figure d’opérer une scission entre le poste de président et celui de directeur général, ce qui a été fait mercredi lors de l’assemblée générale et conseil d’administration.Les deux actionnaires de La Poste, la Caisse des Dépôts à 66% et l’Etat à 34%, ont par ailleurs désigné mercredi une partie des administrateurs dont le mandat se terminait. Olivier Sichel, directeur général du groupe Caisse des dépôts, a été reconduit. Claire Waysand, directrice générale adjointe d’Engie et par ailleurs candidate à la succession de M. Wahl, n’a pas été renouvelée. Jean-Pierre Farandou, le PDG de la SNCF, a été nommé administrateur.Mercredi, le syndicat Sud PTT s’est insurgé de la reconduction par intérim partielle de M. Wahl, fustigeant “12 années de stratégie industrielle et économique qui ont fragmenté l’accès et la présence postale pour la population”, selon un communiqué.- 34,6 milliards d’euros de chiffre d’affaires -La multinationale aux 230.000 postiers, dont près d’un quart des effectifs travaille à l’étranger selon son dernier document financier (DEU), est présente également dans la téléphonie mobile, les services de proximité, l’assurance, la banque et la livraison internationale de colis.L’entreprise aux 34,6 milliards d’euros de chiffre d’affaires (en 2024) est chroniquement confrontée à l’attrition du courrier et ses missions de service public (distribution du courrier et de la presse, aménagement du territoire, accessibilité bancaire) ne sont pas intégralement financées par l’Etat.Dans l’optique d’en prendre la tête, six candidats ont été auditionnés par le comité des nominations, dont deux internes, Nathalie Collin, la directrice de la branche Grand Public et Numérique, et Stéphane Dedeyan, le président du directoire de la Banque postale.Mais ce dernier a finalement jeté l’éponge à la suite d’une polémique relayée par des médias sur le salaire qu’il aurait exigé, selon une source proche du dossier à l’AFP. M. Dedeyan souhaitait conserver son salaire actuel, qui est bien supérieur aux 450.000 euros annuels du PDG de La Poste.Mais aussi quatre candidats externes: Jérôme Fournel, l’ancien directeur de cabinet de l’ex-Premier ministre Michel Barnier et ex-directeur général des Finances publiques; Sylvie Jéhanno, la PDG de Dalkia; Claire Waysand, la directrice générale adjointe d’Engie et Marie Cheval, PDG de Carmila, la foncière de Carrefour.Mais le président de la République étant libre de choisir en dehors de cette liste de candidats, le suspense reste donc total.