Amir Nasr-Azadani: Teammate of Iranian footballer facing death penalty speaks out

Published

3 years ago

December 20, 2022

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A former teammate of Iranian footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani, who faces the death penalty for participating in nationwide protests, has told Sky News that his friend is a “shy person” and “really kind”.

Speaking from Finland where he now captains top flight side VPS Vaasa, Sebastian Strandvall said: “Amir was one of the young guys on our team at the time, he was 19-20 years old at the time, quite the shy person and really kind… a normal, good guy.”

Nasr-Azadani, 26, was arrested last month as anti-regime demonstrations sweep across Iran. He was convicted of murdering a policeman and two militia members in a trial that human rights groups have called a sham.

Local news reports suggest his confession was coerced with members of his family ordered to stay silent.

His former teammate says the court ruling, which found Nasr-Azadani guilty of “waging war against God” was absurd. Execution is one of a number of possible consequences for this crime.

“Knowing Amir’s character, he would go to a protest… he and his friends, would stand up for basic rights, for women’s rights of course because he is the sort of the person who cares about others. But I don’t see him doing a war on God or anything,” Strandvall said.

The two played alongside one another at Rah-Ahan FC in Tehran during the 2015-16 season, and Strandvall even offered him a place to stay when the young Iranian found himself without accommodation.

‘It feels so far from reality’

The Finnish player says his friend may have participated in the demonstrations but does not believe he would commit a violent act.

“It is hard to describe the feeling, the shock, it is hard to fathom that it is actually him because it feels so far from reality, that someone might be facing the death sentence for participating in a peaceful protest,” he said.

Little is known about Nasr-Azadani’s condition, but one German MP is campaigning to raise people’s awareness of his plight.

Andreas Larem, who took over the sponsorship for Nasr-Azadani on 15 December, told Sky News he has written to the Iranian ambassador to Germany in Berlin and has asked the German Foreign Ministry for immediate help to get Nasr-Azadani released.

“He should have still some hope, he should know that we stand with him, and that we really force on every side where we can to get him out, and his friends being also in the prison get out of that situation, and I would like to see him and to meet him in Germany.”

Protests are ‘nationwide phenomenon’

As the clerics who run Iran are challenged in the streets, their forces have become increasing violent as they seek to preserve the regime.

The protests in Iran, which take place on a daily basis, have entered their fourth consecutive month and show little sign of weakening. The majority may centre on the Kurdish region of Iran and the capital Tehran, but they are a nationwide phenomenon.

Fuelled by a range of grievances, including the stifling restrictions placed on women’s dress, participants seek the removal of the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with the ageing mullahs who support him.

In response, police units and the revolutionary guards (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) have lashed out at those who defy the state.

Demonstrators have been beaten and targeted with shotguns – and in recent days, the government has begun to execute protesters.

Trials are a ‘sham’

Last week, Majidreza Rahnavard, who was thought to be 23 years old, was publicly hanged from the end of a construction crane. Rahnavard was accused of “waging war on God” after allegedly stabbing two members of the pro-government militia to death.

Human rights groups and western governments called the trial a sham.

According to Amnesty International, there are more than two dozen protesters facing the death sentence.

As the police struggle to contain this youthful rebellion, analysts accuse the regime of targeting personalities, like footballers, actors and writers – anyone with the power to influence others.

Iran’s most celebrated actress, Taraneh Alidoosti, was arrested last week after she condemned the state’s use of the death penalty against protesters.

The 38-year-old is best known for her 2016 role in the Oscar-winning film The Salesman.

Despite her international profile, she has vowed not to leave Iran.

World

Donald Trump sending ‘top of the line’ weapons to support NATO in Ukraine war

Published

2 hours ago

July 15, 2025

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Donald Trump sending 'top of the line' weapons to support NATO in Ukraine war

Donald Trump has agreed to send “top of the line weapons” to NATO to support Ukraine – and threatened Russia with “severe” tariffs if it doesn’t agree to end the war.

Speaking with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte during a meeting at the White House, the US president said: “We’ve made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons, and they’re going to be paying for them.

“This is billions of dollars worth of military equipment which is going to be purchased from the United States, going to NATO, and that’s going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield.”

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It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a “very good conversation” with Mr Trump late on Monday. He thanked him for the “willingness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings”.

Weapons being sent from to Ukraine include surface-to-air Patriot missile systems and batteries, which the country has asked for to defend itself from Russian air strikes.

Mr Trump also said he was “very unhappy” with Russia, and threatened “severe tariffs” of “about 100%” if there isn’t a deal to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days.

The White House added that the US would put “secondary sanctions” on countries that buy oil from Russia if an agreement was not reached.

Mr Zelenskyy previously criticised Vladimir Putin’s “desire to drag [the war] out”, and said Kyiv was “working on major defence agreements with America”.

It comes after weeks of frustration from Mr Trump over Mr Putin’s refusal to agree to an end to the conflict, with the Russian leader telling the US president he would “not back down” from Moscow’s goals in Ukraine at the start of the month.

During the briefing on Monday, Mr Trump said he had held calls with Mr Putin where he would think “that was a nice phone call”, but then “missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city, and that happens three or four times”.

“I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy,” he added.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump told Mr Zelenskyy “you’re gambling with World War Three” in a fiery White House meeting, and suggested Ukraine started the war against Russia as he sought to negotiate an end to the conflict.

After Mr Trump’s briefing, Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev said on Telegram: “If this is all that Trump had in mind to say about Ukraine today, then all the steam has gone out.”

Meanwhile, Mr Zelenskyy met with US special envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv, where they “discussed the path to peace” by “strengthening Ukraine’s air defence, joint production, and procurement of defence weapons in collaboration with Europe”.

He thanked both the envoy for the visit and Mr Trump “for the important signals of support and the positive decisions for both our countries”.

World

Trump announces weapons deal with NATO to help Ukraine – as he gives Putin 50-day ultimatum

Published

16 hours ago

July 14, 2025

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Trump announces weapons deal with NATO to help Ukraine - as he gives Putin 50-day ultimatum

Donald Trump has agreed to send “top of the line weapons” to NATO to support Ukraine – and threatened Russia with “severe” tariffs if it doesn’t agree to end the war.

Speaking with NATO secretary general Mark Rutte during a meeting at the White House, the US president said: “We’ve made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons, and they’re going to be paying for them.

“This is billions of dollars worth of military equipment which is going to be purchased from the United States,” he added, “going to NATO, and that’s going to be quickly distributed to the battlefield.”

Follow the latest here

Weapons being sent include surface-to-air Patriot missile systems and batteries, which Ukraine has asked for to defend itself from Russian air strikes.

Mr Trump also said he was “very unhappy” with Russia, and threatened “severe tariffs” of “about 100%” if there isn’t a deal to end the war in Ukraine within 50 days.

The White House added that the US would put “secondary sanctions” on countries that buy oil from Russia if an agreement was not reached.

It comes after weeks of frustration from Mr Trump against Vladimir Putin’s refusal to agree to an end to the conflict, with the Russian leader telling the US president he would “not back down” from Moscow’s goals in Ukraine at the start of the month.

During the briefing on Monday, Mr Trump said he had held calls with Mr Putin where he would think “that was a nice phone call,” but then “missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city, and that happens three or four times”.

“I don’t want to say he’s an assassin, but he’s a tough guy,” he added.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy “you’re gambling with World War Three” in a fiery White House meeting, and suggested Ukraine started the war against Russia as he sought to negotiate an end to the conflict.

After Mr Trump’s briefing, Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev said on Telegram: “If this is all that Trump had in mind to say about Ukraine today, then all the steam has gone out.”

He thanked both the envoy for the visit and Mr Trump “for the important signals of support and the positive decisions for both our countries”.

World

At least 30 dead and 100 injured as armed groups clash in Syria, officials say

Published

1 day ago

July 14, 2025

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At least 30 dead and 100 injured as armed groups clash in Syria, officials say

At least 30 people have been killed in the Syrian city of Sweida in clashes between local military groups and tribes, according to Syria’s interior ministry.

Officials say initial figures suggest around 100 people have also been injured in the city, where the Druze faith is one of the major religious groups.

The interior ministry said its forces will directly intervene to resolve the conflict, which the Reuters news agency said involved fighting between Druze gunmen and Bedouin Sunni tribes.

It marks the latest episode of sectarian violence in Syria, where fears among minority groups have increased since Islamist-led rebels toppled President Bashar al Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces.

The violence reportedly erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida.

Last April, Sunni militia clashed with armed Druze residents of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, and fighting later spread to another district near the capital.

But this is the first time the fighting has been reported inside the city of Sweida itself, the provincial capital of the mostly Druze province.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports the fighting was centred in the Maqwas neighbourhood east of Sweida and villages on the western and northern outskirts of the city.

It adds that Syria’s Ministry of Defence has deployed military convoys to the area.

Western nations, including the US and UK, have been increasingly moving towards normalising relations with Syria.

Concerns among minority groups have intensified following the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, in apparent retaliation for an earlier attack carried out by Assad loyalists.

That was the deadliest sectarian flare-up in years in Syria, where a 14-year civil war ended with Assad fleeing to Russia after his government was overthrown by rebel forces.

The city of Sweida is in southern Syria, about 24 miles (38km) north of the border with Jordan.